Light in the Void
by OutlastTheDark
Summary: The Legion has invaded. The forces of both Azeroth and Remnant have answered the call in defense of their planets. But as the war rages on, a few counted amongst the defenders will soon be called to face a question. A question that may very well change the fate of both worlds. What future did they fight for? And what would they be willing to give in return? (On Hiatus)
1. Chapter 1: Remnant Bound

**So! Who else has been having the time of their frickin' lives killing everything that moves in the Broken Isles?! I know I have!**

 **Anyway, I think I've kept you all waiting long enough, and so to avoid the fate of having my metaphorical door getting kicked in, I present you with the first chapter of Light in the Void! Onwards!**

 **Oh, and before I forget...**

 **Disclaimer; I claim no ownership to any of the following properties. Warcraft and RWBY fall under the ownership of their license holders, of which I am neither.**

* * *

Remnant Bound

* * *

Residents of Stormwind stared up in awe at the sky.

Everyone from the youngest of children to the oldest of elders, civilian and soldier alike, watched in amazement as a small fleet of osprey bullheads hovered near a massive portal above the skies of Stormwind, hovering above the city in a lazy formation.

Behind them was a massive portal, big enough to swallow the fleet with little issue. A portal that had taken days to complete. Not because of its scale, but because of where it led...

Several Stormwind mages positioned on the roof of Stormwind castle nod silently to each other before firing magical flare spells into the air, the balls of arcane energy bursting in a series of fantastic colors that could have no doubt been spotted all the way in the arid lands of Westfall.

The flare's intended recipients, the fleet of bullhead's that floated above the keep, seemed to acknowledge the flares, flying down towards the gardens of the keep. They slowly descended until they were flying just level with the overlook of the gardens, with one bullhead in particular flying right up against the stone surface of the wall, hovering still in the air, as if by a string.

As the bullhead's pilot finally seemed to decide that they had positioned themselves correctly the side door of the bullhead slid open, revealing Ravarth and Weiss, who both sat in the passenger section of the bullhead.

After the invasion of the Broken Shore and the loss of a large chunk of the Alliance leadership, Ravarth had been appointed as a commander in the army, and in response abandoned his old armor in favor of black and red armor that had been commonly worn by many gladiators during the Northrend offensive.

Weiss had gone through just as major a wardrobe change as Ravarth in the past few months since the war against the Legion began. Her white combat skirt was long abandoned, instead replaced by a much more conservative grey look, though it retained the look of her previous combat skirt in most other aspects. She also had taken to wearing small pieces of armor over the outfit here and there that served to protect her while still granting her the mobility that made her such a deadly duelist.

What was the most noticeable part of her new attire however were the small, almost unnoticeable, Gilnean symbols that had been engraved on the shin guards that she wore over her legs.

"I was wondering when you two would finally decide to get going." Ravarth spoke up above the loud hum of the bullhead's engines as he gazed over at the host of guards surrounding a blonde haired young man. "You ready to put on your political faces and kiss some bureaucratic tail?"

"I never am Commander..." Another voice called back, the voice of the young man surrounded on all sides by the wall of living flesh and cold metal. "But with your calming presence I'm sure everything will turn out just fine."

Ravarth bore his fangs in a grin. "Let's get going then wise-ass."

At the snap of the blonde man's fingers the guards parted to reveal Anduin standing there with crossed arms and a grin on his own face. "That's _King_ Wise-... Is something wrong Ravarth?"

Ravarth adopted a confused expression for a moment as he scanned the crowd of guards in search of his target. Or more accurately, his Queen. "I thought the kid was coming with us. Where'd she run off to?"

"Ruby? Oh, she's coming she just wanted to grab something from our room." Anduin explained with a soft sigh, to which Ravarth crossed his arms.

"So... Her weapon?"

Anduin sighed, his hand resting on the pommel of his own blade. "Yes. Her weapon. She insists its her baby."

Ravarth only chuckled at the King's words. In the time that he had come to know Ruby he learned, with exceptional speed, that Crescent Rose was the girl's prized possession, and would rather lose an arm than lose her precious scythe.

Weiss meanwhile was strangely silently, not a word out of her mouth since they had arrived. She sat nearly motionless in one of the seats in the bullhead, watching the congregation of guards surrounding Anduin with little interest, the only sign she was still attentive the bobbing of the leg she had folded over the other.

"Sorry to keep you waiting guys!" A voice called out from behind the sea of guards, prompting all present to turn to locate the source of the call.

Anduin as well turned to to face the voice, only to find a black haired girl walking towards them, a large smile on her face.

Ruby Wrynn. The Queen of Stormwind. The Rose of the Alliance.

She had been a blessing in Anduin's life over the last year of his life that he would have been a fool to take for granted.

Though her hair had grown in length by a noticeable inch or two and the outline of a lion head now adorned her blood red cape, very little else, at least personality wise, had changed about the bubbly huntress. She still sported her usual predominant red and black theme, colors normally associated with the Horde ironically enough, and her silver eyes still held the same shine of genuine curiosity and kindness that had first caught Anduin's attention all those months ago.

However, despite her overall personality remaining more or less intact since the wedding, she had forgone her old combat dress almost the day after she and Anduin had been wed, just over a month ago. Instead she had donned a more combat oriented outfit that consisted of a tan shirt and shorter skirt that was surrounded by a host of different red and black articles of clothing, the most noticeable of which was the reinforced corset that was wrapped tightly around her torso. She was also adorned with black armored boots that seemed to have replaced the stockings she once wore.

"Ready to go?" Anduin asked as Ruby strolled by, her 'precious baby' held securely in her arms exactly as one would cradle an actual child.

"Yep! Let's go." She called back as she quickly strolled up to the bullhead before almost immediately hopped into the aircraft without a moments hesitation.

She had been looking forward to this trip for a long while, really since the day that Anduin had announced it. They would be heading back to Remnant! Of course it wasn't going to be Patch she would be headed back to, or even Vale, but still, Remnant was her home, and she hadn't seen it for a year! She was certainly due a trip back.

Anduin meanwhile took a moment to recheck the mental list in his mind one last time for anything he could have missed or forgotten to do before leaving.

He had given orders to the SI:7's leader, Mathias Shaw, to inform visitors that the King and Queen were both suffering from a strange sickness or had been moved away from the general public in interest of their safety. Not the most elegant of excuses, but a better one than the truth of an absence of royalty while he and Ruby were in Remnant.

He had also graced King Greymane's forces in their march for the Broken Isles, though graced may have been too strong a word. Accepted was probably a more suitable one. Anduin had a feeling that Greymane's Armies would have gone whether or not he had permitted them.

Finally there was the issue of the Horde, though that issue had seemed to have temporarily sorted itself out thanks to the near constant amount of pressure that the Burning Legion had put on both the Horde and Alliance on the Broken Isles. Not even small outlying towns had been attacked by the Horde as of late, which was a surprise considering all the bad blood that had shot back up between the two factions after the events at the Broken Shore.

With his mental checklist scored off, Anduin gave himself a short nod before making his own way onto the aircraft, hesitantly stepping onto the flying metal monstrosity with anxiety clear on his face. How the Gnomes and Dwarves dealt with these things on a daily basis he would never know.

Once Anduin was safely inside, two guards began to step up to help shut the door, only to jump back in surprise when it slid shut by itself before the bullhead quickly began to build altitude, levitating above the keep, slowly making its way to the portal that hung above it.

Inside of the craft, as it finally made its way into the portal, Ravarth spoke up, his coarse voice echoing throughout the chamber of the bullhead, reverberating off of the metal hull. "So... The final plans for the initial diplomatic meeting with the leaders of Atlas are in place?"

"Yes, that they are." Anduin replied, taking Ruby's hand in his own as he spoke. "It's quite fortunate that we were able to make contact with another kingdom on Remnant that has survived the Legion's attempted occupation. Any help our forces can receive in the defense of the planet would be welcome, especially now that we've... _Lost_ the support of the Horde."

"I'm surprised the Forsaken haven't tried to gas half of the Eastern Kingdoms at this point." The Worgen spat out as he crossed one leg over the other, mimicking Weiss' position, though in his black gladiatorial armor made it all the more ridiculous. "They seem almost completely unhinged as of late."

Anduin said nothing in response, only staring at the metal floor of the aircraft's cabin.

"Well... That aside, how do you plan to woo the leaders of Atlas?" Ravarth spoke up once he realized that Anduin wouldn't be providing any sort of rebuttal for his comment towards the Horde. "Priss here's been telling me that she's from Atlas, and that they're not the friendliest to new faces."

Anduin, secretly thankful that Ravarth had switched topics, glanced over to Weiss. "Is that true Weiss?"

"Yes. It is. My family is from Atlas, and our dust company's headquarters is stationed there..." Weiss spoke up for the first time since Anduin and Ruby had stepped into the bullhead, her voice as cold and emotionless as ever, if not more-so than usual. "I would advise caution when we first arrive King Anduin. Like Ravarth said, the leaders of my kingdom aren't the warmest of people, and they will almost certainly regard you with suspicion at first after all that's happened as of late."

"Right, and that's completely understandable." Anduin replied quickly with a small nod of appreciation. "Thank you Weiss."

"...Right."

Ruby, after noticing the strange tone her friend and partner was taking, spoke up in a concerned tone. "Hey Weiss, you okay? You sound... Not Weissy."

"I'm Fine Ruby... Just..." Weiss sighed loudly, her eyes clearly showcasing the inner turmoil that was raging ceaselessly inside of her conscious. "I'm not exactly thrilled at the idea of seeing my father again..."

"Oh." Ruby hummed, finally catching onto the reason for her discomfort. Nevertheless, she still attempted to reason with the heiress, "But... He's your father, he must miss you and-..."

"Please just drop it Ruby..."

 _"But-..."_

" _Drop_ it."

Ruby sighed. She knew Weiss had a tense relationship with her father, but to not want to even see him? She couldn't even imagine having that sort of relationship with her father, and she certainly didn't want to imagine it. She loved her father.

And as Ruby felt Anduin's hand grasping hers tightly the newly crowned Queen realized that another person on that bullhead felt the exact same way as she.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it either way Priss." Ravarth suddenly said, his blunt words smashing through the uncomfortable shroud of silence like a brick against glass. "With all the refugees around chances are you'll barely even see your father past the formal greetings."

"Refugees?" Ruby asked, shooting a confused look at the Worgen.

"Aye. Bunch of refugees from other kingdoms fled to Atlas once the Legion invaded, even from Vale and its surrounding provinces."

"You've certainly been following the situation in Remannt closely Commander." Anduin noted, watching as Ravarth huffed silently as he suddenly found a keen interest in the form of a small strap on his armor.

"Keeps my mind occupied."

"It does. To an almost constant degree." Anduin chided, leaning forwards towards the commander, taking on an almost fatherly tone as he spoke. Quite ironic given that, in truth, they were quite nearly the exact same age. "If we weren't headed to such an important summit with the leaders of Atlas I would honestly have suggested you take a break."

"...I don't do well with free time." Ravarth muttered before turning his gaze out of the window at the oceans below, a clear signal that he wanted the conversation to continue no further.

Before any of the occupants knew it, nearly an hour had past. The bullheads were nearing Atlas now.

In only a few minutes they would be dealing with politician after politician, bureaucrat after bureaucrat, all so that they wouldn't end up with another enemy on the very world they were attempting to defend from an army that wouldn't think twice about wiping whomever they came across of the map.

Ravarth snorted silently.

This was going to be interesting.

* * *

"Hey Var?"

"Yes Yang?"

"I'm never going along with any of your 'super secret warlock missions' ever again."

"Yeah... Yeah, I don't blame you."

The two hung precariously upside down, tied to a large iron bar by their legs, surrounded on all sides by a combination of felslate and fel-lava that made up the majority of the surface of the demon world in which they now hung.

Yang and Varimas, only hours before, had been invited by a group of Warlocks named the Council of the Black Harvest in an attempt to summon a large demon in an effort to strengthen Azeroth's armies against the invasion of the Legion. Fighting fire with fire, as most would eloquently put it.

Unfortunately someone in that particular group of 'competent' warlocks seemed to have had lapse in their judgment, as the final, and most important, points of the ritual had been left to none other... Than a gnome.

At the last moment, through no fault of any except for the gnome, the group had ended up accidentally summoning the lord of Dreadscar, the pit lord Jagganoth. A famous demon known for his cruel, sadistic tendencies.

Needless to say that the group had quickly been taken prisoner by the Lord and his demons, before being separated and sent off to different Legion worlds, no doubt in an effort to extract all the information out of them before their deaths.

Even more unfortunate, Yang and Varimas had been given the 'privilege' of being stuck on the Dreadscar, Jagganoth's main base of operations.

"You know, I'm surprised you aren't suffocating right now." Varimas asked dryly as he glanced over at Yang. Or more accurately, a certain defined feature of hers, which was only amplified by her choice of clothing. "Don't those things cut off your oxygen supply?"

Right after Ruby's wedding had taken place, along with her rather sudden wardrobe change, Yang had elected to also change up her style, citing her reason as being that she would soon be in need of clothes that fit an adventurers lifestyle, not that of a club hopper.

However, what Yang thought of as adventuring gear, Varimas more thought of as loungewear.

She wore little more than a pair of dark brown cargo trousers and a bright orange tank to, along with a tan jacket and a pair of sneakers that she had to go all the way back to Vale's few still running stores in order to acquire. Finally, her once proud mane of golden hair was now tied back in a haphazard ponytail, the tips of her locks still tinted a sickly Fel green.

"Yeah yeah. Very funny." Yang muttered as she swung her head slightly to the side, her rough ponytail scraping against the soot covered ground. "You have a plan to get us out of this, or are we just gonna become some demon's pot stickers?"

"I'm thinking of something..."

"Think faster!" Yang cried, the patience in her clearly beginning to wear thing as she began wriggling around in an attempt to reach up towards her feet. A normally simple task made all the much harder by the large weights, made from some form of enchanted iron, latched securely on her wrists. "All the blood's rushing to your head! You should be thinking like... A hundred times faster!"

"That's not how it works."

"Well if-... Uh..." Yang suddenly trailed off as she gazed past Varimas with a look of surprise on her face. "Hey Var... You might wanna turn around."

Varimas turned his attention to where Yang was directing him, soon finding himself face to face with a short red demon staring at them intently, with wide yellow eyes that were filled to the brim with cautious curiosity. It was small to say the least, horns sprouting from sides of his head, carrying a pack that appeared much too large for something of its stature

"Erm... Hello."

"AH!" The demon jumped back in surprise, as if direct communication had knocked it out of some sort of trance.

It recovered quickly however, and soon hopped back over to the two once more.

"Hmm..."

"Uh, what's it doing?" Yang asked.

Varimas would have shrugged if his arms weren't latched in the same enchanted metal shackles as Yang's were. "Not sure. Try-..."

"You two are the ones!"

"What?" Varimas questioned, his voice laced with suspicion. "The ones what?"

"The ones to free us!"

"Free you? I don't follow, sorry."

"Calydus is servant to cruel, cruel Jagganoth! He assumes and mocks poor Calydus so! But you two..." The demon, Calydus, spoke quickly as his entire body seemed to twitch in excitement. "You two could be his undoing!"

"Right... And why would we help you?" Varimas asked, realizing that they had been stumbled upon by one of the more unhinged residents of the Dreadscar.

"Calydus has the key! He can set you free!"

"Damn it..." Varimas cursed before gazing back at the creature, which now wore a hopeful smile on its face. At least he thought it was a smile. The strange shape of its face did nothing to help with solving the various expressions that flew across its face on an erratically frequent basis. "Alright, fine. Just let us out and we'll help."

"Fantastic! Calydus knew it could could on new friends!"

With that, the demon quickly began freeing the two, disengaging the enchanted locks binding them upside down with all haste in hopes that they would escape before the master took notice of their absence.

* * *

Acherus, the floating necropolis and headquarters for the Knights of the Ebon Blade, floated menacingly above the Broken Isles, like a specter of death, soon to unleash its wrath upon the lands below, just as it had done in the Plaguelands so many years before.

In a small room, hidden away in the small labyrinth that made up Acherus' upper platforms, two figures stood, a male Sin'Dorei and a female Faunus, watching the sky with fixed gazes. The female, the shorter of the two, leaned on the male, while the male had its armor covered arm wrapped around the female's torso.

"You said that they'll be arriving today, right Zailan?"

"Yes, any minute now. The Ebon Riders have taken to the skies in search for them."

"You mentioned that there was someone special among them. Care to fill me in?"

"You'll know exactly who I'm talking about when you see them Blake."

Blake nodded once, never taking her eyes off of the horizon. It was so much more majestic from the upper halls of Acherus. Even Stormwind's towers had not given her a view quite like this.

Wrath however, glanced down at the woman in his arms. He had seen the horizon from Acherus hundreds of times. He could afford to miss it this once.

Her style had changed considerably in the last few months, to just as significant degree as her friends, ever since she had been inducted as an honorary Knight of the Ebon Blade. She now wore a long light grey coat over a tight black shirt, which bore the symbol of the Ebon Blade on its back, with two long coat tails that reached down to her ankles, along with a fair amount of black armor that covered her legs, along with some that was hidden under the sleeves of the coat.

Her weapon, Gambol Shroud, was still latched to her back, though it's edge now sported a noticeable aura of cold that radiated off of the edge, which glowed a bright runic blue whenever it was swung.

The shifting of metal brought the two gazers attention to a small doorway nearby, where a large armor clad Orc stood, his arm held up in a ceremonial salute.

"Deathlord, your guests have arrived. They await you now on the lowest platform of the necropolis, in the war room."

Wrath gave a small nod before he and Blake followed the Orc down into the lower levels of the Necropolis, past the training arena, and past the three halls of learning, of Blood, Frost, and Unholy magics.

Soon the two found themselves in the center of the necropolis, where a small group of Ebon Knights had gathered, surrounding a small group of people who were very obviously not a part of the Ebon Blade.

Blake froze the moment that the group came into her line of vision. Standing there, amongst the throng of armor clad Knights and rotting corpses, were her old teachers, Ozpin and Glynda Woodwitch, along with what was rather unmistakably Ruby's Uncle Qrow.

What her attention was drawn to however, was the short woman wearing a white cloak, her back turned to the Faunus as she studied the map laid out on the war room's scouting table, her finger trailing along the edges as she seemed to scrutinize every last detail of the map and the plans written upon it.

"Ruby?" Blake asked, causing the woman to tense up visibly from beneath her cloak. "What're you doing here?"

"Hmm? Oh. No, sorry... I'm afraid that I'm not who you think I am." The woman began as she turned around and pulled back her hood, giving the Faunus a small smile. "Not quite."

Blake's breath caught in her throat the moment that the woman turned around. She recognized the white and red armor that she wore, it's polished surface devoid of the blood that had once coated its surface.

"It's you..." Blake whispered as she stared at the woman with eyes wide from bewilderment. "From Icecrown."

The woman nodded, leaning against the scouting table casually. "You're quite the escape artist. I lost you for a bit when you decided to jump off the edge of that platform."

"But wait, how did you-..."

"I'm sure you have enough questions to take up an afternoon..." The woman interrupted, holding a hand up, though her smile remained. "But for now, let's save those questions, we have quite a bit to accomplish, and a limited timeframe to do so."

"Agreed." Wrath nodded before making his way over to the table, flanked on both sides by some of the more fearsome looking Ebon Knights. "Are we ready to go Summer?"

The woman, Summer, nodded once before turning around to face the table.

Blake meanwhile, stared in shock. This was Summer Rose? The woman who had given birth to her team's leader? The one who Yang had described with admiration in her eyes as 'Super Mom'? The one who was thought to have been lost to the claws of Grimm years ago?

She certainly couldn't deny the evidence, the evidence of the woman who now stood before her with a calm, warm smile that seemed to glow softly, despite the dreary architecture that surrounded it.

"That we are Wrath." Summer gestured towards the table, prompting the other inhabitants of Remnant, along with most of the Knights present, to turn their attention to the map which lay before them. Their battle plans. "Shall we begin?"

* * *

 **And there we go! The first chapter of Light in the Void is complete! Please let me konw how it was in the reviews, and I'll be sure to respond in the following chapter! Now, I have a world boss to go kill!**


	2. Chapter 2: Arrival

**Sup! Alright, so there will be some changes to the lore with this chapter. Normally the Warlock beginning quest line is much longer and much more in depth, but if we want to get to the main plot, along with Team JNPR and stuffs, then I have to move it along a bit. So yeah! Lore changes, but nothing that'll break more than the beginning of the Warlock campaign.**

 **Holy Moley a lot of you reviewed. Okay, short answers!**

 **Smartjocklv: You'll definitely enjoy what's coming up with the Death Knights!**

 **Jgkitarel: Yeah, though my guild is forcing me to raid so I gotta take writing slower than before which sucks.**

 **Novice4129: Fel Dragon... I like that. I think I'll use that. And as for Summer you'll see (Blizzard) soon!**

 **Raging Archon: Yeah, though eventually they will all meet back up again!**

 **Cody the Worldwalker: Oh not just Qrow.. After all, Ruby and Yang do have that Dad of theirs that has no idea who Anduin even is!**

 **Drakefire: You'll see them soon!**

 **Aragorns: Yes, why indeed? I don't know how happy her family would be to see a symbol besides that of the SDC on Weiss.**

 **The True Skull: Thal'kiel will actually be appearing right about... Now.**

 **Begin!**

* * *

Arrival

* * *

 _"Is there even a shred of humanity left within you?"-Lord Vincent Godfrey_

* * *

"Well... It's certainly as flamboyant as the priss..." Ravarth muttered as his gaze drifted in all directions, absorbing his surroundings with a mixture of fascination and awe only barely hidden behind the usual mask of cynicism.

"While I won't be one to condone your analogy, I must agree with your sentiment." Anduin acknowledged, mimicking the Worgen's actions, though his amazement was much more pronounced. "The architects of this kingdom certainly know how to display their prowess at building."

With that the two trailed off into silence, staring up in fascination at the towers which surrounded them from the platform that jutted out from one of the many smaller buildings that formed a sprawling maze of concrete and steel that made up the Kingdom of Atlas.

Many buildings that surround the group rivaled Stormeind's tallest towers in size, with quite a few far surpassing them.

After the small group of bullheads had first arrived at Atlas, Anduin had been quick to shoo the rest along to neighboring kingdoms in hopes that if they were able to find any pockets of civilization still resisting the Legion's flame that they would be able to bring them into the fold, though now he was beginning to regret such a decision.

A small niggling feeling in the back of his mind that told him to surround himself with anyone and everyone that he possibly could.

With all the steel and stone that towered up and around him, not a hint of life in sight save for his traveling companions and the streets hundreds of feet below him, Anduin couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that plagued his body the moment he had stepped off of the bullhead.

The feeling of loneliness, of a child without the love of a family to call his own.

That of an empty soul.

"So Priss, which one's yours?" Ravarth's finally asked after the Worgen realized that the silence had become rather uncomfortable for Weiss, who had been used to seeing such large structures from as early as her infancy.

Weiss, saying nothing, quickly pointed to the largest, most imposing tower in the distance, the symbol of the Schnee Dust Company clear on the face of the skyscraper. It was so large that if he hadn't just blatantly been alerted as to the true identity of the tower, Ravarth would have just as easily guessed that the tower was the property of the ruling royal family.

Of course if Weiss and her mannerisms was anything to go off of, Ravarth thought to himself, he would not be shocked if told that the man who owned that building also figuratively owned Atlas itself.

Before he could make that comment vocal however the sound of approaching bullheads caught the group's attention, with most turning towards the sound, all expect for Weiss, who bit her lip as she felt her heart make an escape attempt by way of smashing through her sternum.

A few moments later a small group of bullheads flying just over the horizon in the direction of the SDC building came into view, appearing as if they were making their way towards the group.

Once she was sure that the approaching bullheads were in fact heading in their direction Weiss quietly reached over and tapped Ravarth on the arm, causing him to twitch ever so slightly before glancing over at her.

Realizing Weiss' intent, Ravarth gave the heiress a small nod before turning to Anduin.

"King Anduin," Ravarth waited for the King to turn his attention over to him before continuing. "The Priss and I forgot our weapons back on the bullhead, we're just gonna go back to fetch 'em."

Anduin nodded, quickly redirecting his attention to the approaching bullheads. "Try to be quick if you can. As friendly as I'm sure these Atlas representatives will be I'd rather not be meeting them without a guard by my side."

"That's a load of tosh. You've got one." Ravarth jabbed his thumb towards Ruby when Anduin tilted his head in confusion, the Worgen's fangs shown off in a slight smile. "Your wife's no pushover. She's as dangerous as any soldier we've got."

Anduin chuckled softly before waving him off, a silent signal of permission.

Ravarth nodded before he and Weiss quickly make their way back to their bullhead, ducking into the main passenger compartment with relative haste as the other aircraft continued to draw ever closer to the platform.

Once inside, Weiss quickly made for Myrtenaster, propped up against her seat. She quickly sheathed it along her waist, taking a moment to ensure that nothing appeared off with the weapon. After months without any dust functionality on the weapon, Weiss would be a fool to not be slightly apprehensive to see how it would fare.

Especially since her father would no doubt desire a display of the martial skill that she had acquired since she had begun her lessons at Beacon...

Ravarth meanwhile lazily reached for a pair of two large red and black swords, which Weiss had heard him call his ' _Warmongers_ ', before he also pulled out a large black robe, wrapped up in a bundle.

"Are you sure this isn't just a huge waste of time Weiss?" Ravarth asked as he began to haphazardly unwrap the silk, his lupine claws nearly catching and tearing the delicate cloth on more than one occasion as he worked. "There's no other way?"

"No... I don't think so." Weiss sighed, sheathing Myrtenaster as she watched Ravarth throw the robe over his form. "My father and many employees of the Schnee Dust Company already have a predisposed, and rather close minded, view of the Faunus... I can't imagine their reaction to a Worgen would be a positive one, visitor or not."

"Still, my human form isn't one I want to be in."

"Why not?"

"It's... Just not who I am anymore." Ravarth admitted, tying up lose ends of the robe so that it hung securely around his torso. "As far as I'm concerned my human self died in Gilneas. The sooner this is all done and dusted the better."

Weiss only nodded, saying nothing, though a twinge of sympathy broke her emotionless facade for a moment.

Ravarth picks up one last cloth, which he slung around his jaw, tightening it behind his head before throwing the hood of the robe up, covering the remainder of his head.

A few moments later his large, muscled form suddenly began to rapidly shrink inside of the cloak, his shoulders drawing closer to his center as his back, which was also shrinking in size, began to straighten up, all while the cracking of bone and the popping of muscle overtook the cabin in a gut-wrenching cacophony of sound.

Less than a minute later, the changes stopped, leaving Ravarth in a form considerably smaller than he had been before, no larger than Anduin in fact, though he was still nearly completely concealed by the old cloak.

Despite this however, he still towered over Weiss by around a foot, a detail not lost on the heiress, who still had to crane her head slightly for her eyes to meet his own, which were now a dark brown, replacing the glowing yellow eyes that had preceded them.

" _Damn_ , my heads pounding..." Ravarth complained as he cricked his neck loudly, the after pains of transformation stiffened seemingly every muscle in his body. "I'll never get used to that..."

With that, Ravarth took one last chance to stretch his muscles a bit more before reaching for his _Warmongers_ , slinging them behind his back, all while Weiss watched silently, her eyes scanning Ravarth's form in hopes of catching glance of his true face.

A moment later the unmistakable sound of the other bullheads landing on the platform assaulted Weiss' and Ravarth's ears, signaling the arrival of the Atlesian diplomats.

"Alright, let's go meet your leaders then I suppose..."

"Hey, Ravarth?" Weiss asked suddenly, causing Ravarth to freeze, giving the heiress an opportunity to speak. "...What _do_ you look like as a human anyway?"

"...I'm not takin' off the cloak if that's what you're asking me to do..." Ravarth growled, annoyance clear in his tone. "C'mon. If we keep gabbin' like this we'll get left behind."

Without even waiting for a response, Ravarth jumped out of the bullhead and began making his way to the other bullheads, leaving a slightly disheartened Weiss behind.

"I was just curious." She huffed before following in the footsteps of the Worgen, though not before silently praying it would not be her father that would be waiting for them on the platform.

Meanwhile on the other side platform a group of armed men, all wielding dust rifles, marched up to Ruby and Anduin, led by a tall woman, with white hair done up in a neat bun.

"King and Queen Wrynn. Welcome to Atlas." The woman began, standing at attention before the King and Queen. She spoke with a tone of near perfect authority. It was obvious that if she spoke, she was to be acknowledged. "I trust your journey through the inter-world portal was a smooth one?"

Anduin gave the white haired woman a small nod, his tone neutral as the words passed from his lips. "It was, thank you. And whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

"I am Winter Schnee, eldest daughter of the Schnee dynasty, and specialist of the Atlesian military, though you may address me as Winter."

"Wait... _Winter_?..." Ruby, who had previously been staring at her shoes in apprehension, glanced up from the floor in surprise at the name, only to break out into a bright smile upon recognizing the older female. "Winter!"

At this Winter took a moment to glance over at Ruby. "Hold on a moment, I recognize you... Aren't you Ruby Ro-..."

" _WINTER_!"

"Are you trying to blow my ears out Priss?!"

Upon hearing the sudden cry of excitement, Winter turned to the source of the voice to find her younger sister speedily walking towards her, only barely restraining herself from a jog.

"Weiss?!" Winter seemed to lose her rough composure for but a singular moment, hints of relief darting across her stoic features as her sister drew ever closer, followed closely by a young man in a black robe, a hood and mask covering his face.

The moment that Weiss was in range of Winter the two captured each in a hug with complete disregard to those around them, with the eldest of the two accepting the hug eagerly to the visible surprise of the soldiers flanking her.

When Ravarth finally caught up he stood next to the King and Queen, staring in abject horror behind his mask.

"Oh fuckin' hell, there's two of them..."

At this Anduin glanced over at Ravarth, only to do a double take as he realized that the Worgen was now no taller than himself, and possessed a distinct lack of furry features. "Ravarth, what in the world are you doing?!..."

"Keeping a low profile." Ravarth answered simply, keeping his gaze locked ahead.

"Is that even possible?" Ruby snickered from the side, only barely keeping the amused smile off of her face.

After what seemed like hours, Weiss finally pulled away from the hug, taking a moment to recompose herself before standing at attention before her sister, her head held highl

"It's good to see you well Weiss." Winter breathed out in a calm manner, a much more controlled response than the last had been, though Anduin could easily see the true joy behind the mask of indifference. "After Beacon had fallen and we hadn't heard from you we feared the worst. Have you been well?"

Weiss nodded, a proud smile creeping forwards. "I have. I've been enjoying the pleasure of an extended stay in Azeroth for the last few months while Beacon undergoes repairs. It's been quite a fruitful experience for my personal growth, both physically and mentally, though I'm certain you would love to experience all that the planet has to offer for yoursel-..."

"Hey Priss, try sounding even more pretentious, it's not like my heads pounding already."

Winter, upon hearing the words flowing from the group of young adults standing only feet away, turned to face the hooded man who had spoken, an unamused expression etched clearly on her face. "Flattering. And who might _You_ be?"

Anduin and Ruby suddenly froze up while Weiss' eyes flash with a hint of terror as Winter's stare steadily grew into a full fledged glare.

"He's, uh-... He's just-..." Weiss stuttered as she attempted to rationalize the Worgen's jab. She'd grown so used to his lip over the last few months that she had almost forgotten that as far as anyone on Remnant knew few were brave enough to insult her and expect to get away with it, with fewer still bold enough to say it to her face!

Thankfully, while the others began to stutter and hum to themselves in an attempt to formulate a cover story, Ravarth merely cleared his throat before speaking, his voice much smoother than its usual coarse tone.

"Thomas. Thomas Bloodclaw." Ravarth said while performing an exaggerated bow, clearly taking another silent jab at the previous conversation Winter and Weiss had been having. "I'm here to protect King and Queen Wrynn while they establish a, hopefully beneficial, diplomatic relationship with Atlas."

"I see." Winter spat as she made her way over to the disguised Ravarth, halting only when his face was inches from her own. "And what makes you, Thomas Bloodclaw, think that _you_ have the authority to so freely disrespect my sister in such a crude manner?"

"Simple." Winter's nose scrunched as 'Thomas' spoke. Even from behind the thin black cloth covering his mouth, his breath carried the gut wrenching stench of uncooked meat and fresh blood. "I'm her superior officer... _Schnee_..."

"Superior officer?" Winter asked as she turned to Weiss, who was beginning to show an uncanny resemblance to a deer in headlights. "Weiss, what is he referring to?"

"Oh.. _Right_ , well..." Weiss trailed off as her mind drew a blank.

It was deadly silent for a moment, the tension soon growing palpable as Winter turned and stared into Ravarth's eyes, only to receive the same exactly glare in return.

Eventually, after nearly a minute of silence, Winter spun on her heel and stalked away from Ravarth, leaving the young man grinning behind his mask. This Schnee certainly seemed to command more inherent respect than her younger counterpart, that was for sure.

"I see that we've got quite a bit to catch up on Weiss. Why don't we discuss this en route to Schnee HQ?"

"Schnee HQ?" Weiss asked as dread began to encroach upon her heart. "Father will be attending?..."

"Yes, he will." Winter sighed, turning her gaze to the grand tower in the distance. "The summit will be held in Father's office. Seeing as how he's been providing Atlas' military with enough Dust to hold the demonic hordes off nearly indefinitely he's become a friend that General Ironwood has no desire to lose by keeping secrets."

Weiss inwardly cursed. She had hoped she would have had more time to prepare, both physically and mentally, before reuniting with her father.

She just needed a little more time. Then she'd be ready.

Just a little more time...

"Come." Winter spoke up, breaking Weiss from her trance. "The meeting will be starting soon, and neither General Ironwood nor my Father like to be kept waiting."

Anduin was the first to speak, giving a small nod as he did so, "Lead the way Lady Schnee."

Winter only hummed softly to herself in response before turning towards the bullheads and making her way towards them, the Atlas soldiers following closely behind, not a word spoken between them.

"So much for keeping a low profile Ravarth." Anduin sighed, snapping his gaze towards Ravarth. "Took you a grand 30 seconds to end up in a verbal conflict with our host."

"Couldn't help it." Ravarth shrugged.

"Told you~!..." Ruby cooed in a sing song voice.

Anduin let out a soft sigh before he and Ruby began following Winter towards the bullheads. Thomas soon made to follow them, only to hesitate when he noticed Weiss lagging behind, her gaze locked to the floor of the platform.

"Weiss, you coming?" He asked, glancing back at the heiress. She seemed to have changed gears on a dime the moment that her father had been mentioned, a change that caused Ravarth, as Ruby had done only minutes prior, to begin to wonder exactly just how bad the relationship between the two of them was.

Weiss let out a sigh, the fear in her breath nearly visible, before nodding. "Yeah... Let's go."

With that, the two of them both made their way to the bullheads waiting for them that would take them to Schnee HQ, where the summit would be held.

And where Weiss' father no doubt waited...

* * *

" _Now_!..."

A Felguard let out a gurgle of protest as his helmet was suddenly, and forcefully, embedded into his skull, courtesy of a shotgun-backed punch from Ember Celica, his body letting out an involuntary spasm as a generous amount of fel green blood shot from the wound before he fell over dead, his

"Alright... That's him taken care of..." Yang muttered as she rubbed her hand against the fallen demon's back, wiping off the excess blood and brain matter that had splattered onto her hand. "I still can't believe we're going along with that little mutated mistake's plan."

"I don't particularly like working with something so clearly off it's head either..." Varimas agreed, leaning against a nearby rock as he gazed out into the distance, trying to get an idea of just how many demons stood between them and Jagganoth. Too many, that was for sure. "But he's our best chance on getting out of this situation with our own heads still attached to our shoulders."

"Why don't we just use your hearthstone? Get out and come back with reinforcements." Yang asked, propping her now clean hand on her hip as she gave Varimas an annoyed glare. She Really was planning to just sleep all day before he had recruited her in this insane mission of his, and now she was stuck on a damn alien planet!

"It's not working, already tried." Varimas replied, ignoring the lilac eyes that seemed to burrow a hole in the side of his head. "Might as well be a fancy rock right about now."

"Damn..." Yang let out a sigh of resignation, hopes of any quick resolution to their situation. "Alright, well if we're gonna take out the head uggo, we should probably have a plan of attack."

"There isn't really much of one to be made, there's no sure fire way of dealing with a Pit Lord that I know of, past the possible element of surprise, it'll be a toss up as to whether or not we'll actually get him." Varimas explained, nodding to himself when he concluded that no more demonic patrols would be in their area... At least for a while. "For now let's just see if we can find some form of shelter or cover, the longer we're out in the open like this, the higher chance we'll be dealing with Jagganoth with no plan at all."

"Agreed." Yang nodded.

The two then set off, leaving behind no signs of their presence, save for the still bleeding demonic corpse that lay on the ground, a pool of foul green blood forming around it.

Eventually they found themselves crouching in a small crevice in the rocks, a large cliff side on their backs as they ducked behind rock formations in an attempt to go unnoticed by the patrolling felguards.

"Hey, what about in there?" Yang spoke up once the latest demon patrol had passed, pointing behind she and Varimas to what appeared to be a small entrance to a cave, shadows concealing whatever lay within past the first few feet. "Doesn't look like it's inhabited, the guards might not think to look there, at least for the time being."

"It'll do for now," Varimas agreed, "At the very least we'll be able to catch our breath."

They quickly made their way into the cave, with Yang in the lead, Ember Celica aimed into the depths of the cavern, ready for anything that may end up making itself known.

However when it was obvious that they truly were the only ones in the cave, Varimas finally spoke up, his voice bouncing off the wall in a loud echo. "Yang, can you give us a little light?"

"Affirmative." Yang replied as she snapped her fingers, fel fire igniting between her digits, illuminating the cave in a soft green glow.

When their eyes soon adjusted to the dimmer light of the cave they found that not only were they in a cave with no other life present, but that a small tunnel that led deeper into the cave lay only a few meters in front of them, it's mouth seeming to beckon them closer like a flytrap looking to lure in it's prey.

"I'm willing to bet that doesn't exactly lead to gumdrop land." Yang huffed as she stared at the tunnel's mouth, knowing they'd end up inside before Varimas even spoke up.

"Well fortune does favor the bold I suppose." True to her suspicion he was curious, and part of her couldn't blame him. The rare opportunity of exploring part of an alien world was not an opportunity to be taken lightly.

Even if that alien world was no more than a battleship sized chunk of rock floating through space.

Yang, realizing that it was either the tunnel before her or the demons back outside, shrugged before slowly making her way towards the small passageway, with Varimas following her closely.

They both squeezed through the passage, which had turned out to be extremely narrow at some points, to the extent that both Yang and Varimas were forced to sidle through the narrow pass, only barely making their way past.

Eventually though, they found themselves in a much larger section of cave, and with growing curiosity taking ahold of her, Yang once again lit her fingers alight, flooding the normally pitch black cave in a dull green glow.

When their eyes finally adjusted to the dim light however they were surprised to find that this chamber, unlike the last, was not barren.

In the middle of the room, floating over a small pedestal, in which rested a strange looking dagger, a floating skull rested, black horns and a golden jaw adorning the normally mundane looking bone.

"Is... Is that a floating skull?" Yang asked, completely baffled.

"Yeah... Strange place to keep something like that." Varimas agreed, silently beginning to make his way towards it, with Yang following closely behind

"...Do you think it can talk?"

"Why would I know that?!..." Varimas asked, glancing back at Yang in disbelief.

"You're a warlock! You're supposed to know all about demonic stuff!"

At the sound off Yang's raised voice, the skull suddenly began shifting around, scanning the environment for the source of the noise, both of which had dived behind a nearby boulder, hoping to not be noticed.

"Oh fantastic, you woke it up!"

"It's not my fault!..." Yang defended, crossing her arms.

"Yes, yes it very much _is_ your fault!..."

"What do we do then?" The brawler inquired, taking a moment to peek out from behind their impromptu cover to find the skull still scanning the area for them. "Should we try talking to it?"

"Well if we're going to die by floating skull either way we might as well just make friends with the damn thing!..."

"It's settled then." Yang, unfortunately either not sensing the sarcasm or just too fed up with their current situation to care, soon hefted herself to her feet, bringing herzelf within full view of the skull.

"That was sarcasm! Yang don't!..." Varimas called out in a desperate attempt to wrangle her back, but it was already much too late.

"Er, hello?" Yang called out.

"Now what?!" The skull growled, spinning to face the source of the noise, felfire burning in the sockets his eyes would have been. "I swear, one day I will rid myself of your control, and once I do I'll-..."

The skull froze. What stood before him were not the demons he had been expecting, but two humanoid creatures, staring at him quizzically.

"Wait... You're not my master!..."

"Your master? You mean the fat Pit Lord somewhere out there?" Yang asked, propping her hand on her hip and letting her head tilt slightly, her ponytail hanging lazily to the side, a smirk on her face.

" _No_! No you blonde buffoon!... My master, he-... He is..." The skull grew silent for a moment, hanging motionless in the air as if by a string for nearly a half a minute before it spoke up once more, it's tone noticeably less aggressive than it had been only seconds prior. "I sense my master is not near... Yet his minions still gorge upon my power like the greedy decrepit swines that they are..."

"Decrepit swines?" Yang chuckled. "That's a weird insult."

" _Come_! Help me to repay this degradation, and introduce them to unfathomable levels of torturous agony!" The skull ordered, rushing over to Yang, halting when it was only inches from her face.

"Listen buddy, we're just trying to make heads or tails of our situation over here." The brawler replied, using her index finger to slowly push the skull back to a reasonable distance. "We were trapped here by the Pit Lord out there, and we're just looking for a way back home."

"I can get you two fools home easily!" The skull exclaimed loudly with pride dripping from the words he spoke. "Assist me in the destruction of my jailor and I shall return you to your precious home in a matter of moments!"

"Is that right?" Varimas asked, doubt clear in his tone. "And why should we trust you? We've already met one strange demon today. We don't need a second."

"Tell me mortal, why else would I be hidden away within such an inhospitable plane such as this?" Upon reciving no answer the skull continued. "My power. I, Thal'kiel, hold within myself enough power that the Legion chooses not to use me, but to hide me away, far from where any could hope to stumble upon me and use my power to decimate their forces!"

"But we found you." Yang pointed out.

"And that is why-..." Thal'kiel froze when Yang's words seemed to finally register, letting out what sounded a lot like a dismissive cough. "Er... Right. Well. _Obviously_ the two of you are just as great a threat to the Legion as I if you possessed the skill to locate my prison."

"Actually we just found this place when we were hiding from the guards-..."

"Silence you harlot!"

Yang crossed her arms and huffed, glancing off to the side. "Freakin' bossy skull..."

With Yang silenced, Thal'kiel turned to Varimas, floating around the warlock like a moon orbiting a planet.

"Warlock..." Thal'kiel began, his voice noticeably more ominous. "Take up the dagger that rests beneath me, it has more than enough power stored within its blade to tear through the armored skin of Jagganoth with ease. I sense we will require its power in the coming battle."

Varimas nodded, quickly reaching down to take up the dagger. Upon examination Varimas couldn't help but to take note of how old the blade looked, no doubt seeing countless battles, yet not a dent or chip was present. It seemed to be as sharp as the day it was formed for the first time.

"Alright! We ready team?" Yang finally spoke up, a wide grin on her face.

To that Varimas shook his head, eliciting a groan of annoyance from Yang. "I'm still concerned... Even with an artifact with such power by our side, Jagganoth is still a Pit Lord of considerable strength..."

"Don't worry so much Var, now that we have Mr. Floaty Skull on our side-..."

"You shall address me as Thal'kiel, you miserable wretch!"

"Right. With Thal'Meal on our side, there's no way we can lose!" Yang exclaimed slamming her fists together, activating Ember Celica. "Jagganoth may be a Pit Lord, but I'm sure if we just brainstorm a bit we'll come out 'a-head'."

The room trailed off into silence for a moment.

"What was that?" Thal'kiel finally uttered after a moment.

"What?" Yang grinned, inching closer to the skull as she put her arms behind her, attempting to appear as innocent as possible. A look that neither Thal'kiel nor Varimas fell for. "Did what I say fly over your head?"

"Are you mocking me, human?!..."

"Oh sorry, am I coming off a little... head strong?"

"Cease your foolishness! A Pit Lord such as Jagganoth is no laughing matter, nor am I!"

"Don't be so sternum! I'm just ribbing you! What's the matter? Do you not find this bone punnery... humerus?"

Thal'kiel said nothing in response this time, only slowly beginning to float towards Yang, the look of murder in it's expression.

"Get it?!" Yang laughed as she pointed at Thal'kiel, unaware the skull was drawing closer thanks to her being clamped shut due to her laughter, "Because your a skull!"

Thal'kiel still did not answer.

"Aw, what's wrong," Yang finally said after the laughter had subsided, taking a moment to glance up at Thal'kiel. "Do you not like jokes or do you just have a hard he-..."

 _ **THWACK**_


	3. Chapter 3: Deliberation

**So. I bet you're wondering where I've been and why I'm being slow with updates. The answer to that is quite simple, and no it's not that I had some severe bout of ADHD. I've decided to severely slow the frequency of chapters that will be coming out during the runtime of season 4 and for a few weeks afterward just so I know if any other characters will get introduced that I shouldknow about, and so everyone has a chance to catch up so they aren't spoiled about a character before they watch the show itself. So yeah. Slower updates for a while. Not hiatus, just slower.**

 **Deras94 and Akshka: Puns are Yang's ultimate weapon.**

 **Cody the Worldwalker: I plan to have Taiyang show up at one point or another during the story, so I hope that question will be answered soon!**

 **Smartjocklv: Truth be told I'm not entirely sure what I want to do with Nora. She's so random it's hard putting her in a set role without feeling like I've committed a sin.**

 **Raging Archon: Verbal and physical violence? Since when are my stories violent?! *still sipping punch from Neptune's skull***

 **The True Skull: Well we all love the Maw of the Damned, let's face it.**

 **Drakefire: Varimas is stated to suck maracas at curses and fire. It was pretty much just process of elimination.**

 **DivineDemon1: Well I know of one person who will be shock at Ruby's royal status...**

 **Seem14: Oooh yeah there will be.**

* * *

Deliberation

* * *

 _"A lifetime of wealth and power has left you blind in one eye. You are the few, we are the many. And when the many stop fearing the few..." - High Sparrow_

* * *

"And so... During the Warden's failed attempt at protecting their vault from the Legion, Illidan's body was stolen from it's prison, the Vault of the Betrayer." Wrath explained, his voice monotone, as he and the others crowded around the large war table in the center of the necropolis, Death Knights and ghouls glancing at them curiously as their meeting dragged on. "While we cannot be sure as to the exact plans that the Legion will have for Illidan, knowing all that they've done we can only assume it to be... Less than cheerful."

"Is your order attempting to retrieve the body then?" Ozpin asked before taking an idle sip from his thermos.

"We aren't. In all likelihood the Legion has Illidan under strict guard." Wrath replied with a small shake of the head, glancing down at the board with a grimace. "We won't be committing any forces to the corpse's recapture until we know of both its location and the numbers which guard him. We're spread thin enough across the isles as it is."

Ozpin could only nod at the news. "Very well."

"We also have one last bit of rather important news." Wrath muttered, suddenly turning from the table and gesturing to one of the many Death Knights surrounding the outer platform overlooking the war room. "Donyc, bring it forwards."

At Wrath's command one of the Death Knight's separated from the rest of the small gathering. At first glance a few present at the war table did a double take as they realized the Death Knight's lower jaw was completely missing and a strange strap of rotten leather forming a crude 'X' pattern was stretched tightly across his sunken face. He was garbed in light green and violet Dreadwyrm Armor, excluding the helm which would have normally hidden his decrepit head. A Forsaken.

The most striking feature about the Forsaken however, was not even part of the Knight himself. Rather it was the large green rune blade slung behind his back, it's mere presence giving off an aura of unease as he drew closer.

"This is Donyc Gravethorn. Executor of the Ebon Blade and wielder of the sword known as Apocalypse." Wrath introduced as the Death Knight, Donyc, stepped onto the main platform.

However, instead of even a nod of acknowledgment, the Forsaken did nothing in response to the various greetings sent his way, instead pulling out a map and laying it across the table in view of those surrounding it.

"I'll cut straight to the point, shall I?" Donyc spoke out in a disembodied voice that surrounded the table, his limp tongue waggling subtly as he 'spoke'.

Without waiting for comment, Donyc placed a boney finger on the parchment he had laid out, the tip of his finger nearly punching a hole clear through the delicately painted paper.

"While we have been gathering our forces, another key player has made itself known in the center of the isles. Suramar." Donyc explained, his finger trailing towards the location where Surmar had been discovered only months prior. "Adventures of the Alliance and the Horde have stumbled upon and helped foster a resistance group of the Nightborn Elves that inhabit the area. At first they were only a small group of rebels without much hope, but with the help of adventurers, they could now quite possibly have a chance at storming the Nighthold; the capital of the Nightborn."

"And you believe our forces best committed to that cause?" Wrath asked.

"I do, Deathlord." Donyc nodded, his tongue waggling like a snake with the sudden movement. "We'll take substantial losses during the assault, of that I have no doubt. However we can just raise any of the more powerful warriors who fall into Knights and Ravagers. And as for the weaker ones..."

As Donyc trailed off he made a careless motion towards the various ghouls and abominations that passed by, going about their duties, mindless as ever.

"They'll be just as useful in the end."

Wrath nodded in agreement at the other Death Knight's words, though the frown on his face was clear.

"And the Pillars of Creation?" Summer spoke up, scanning the map as she spoke.

"What of them?" Donyc asked, his voice gaining a noticeable edge.

"Have they all been retrieved?"

"Unfortunately, not yet. At least not all of them." Wrath replied for Donyc, strolling over and placing a finger on the leftmost section of the drawing of the landmass. "We posses 3. The 4th Pillar, the Tear of Elune, is currently in possession of the Druids of Val'Sharah, so it's eventual retrieval will hopefully turn out to be trivial."

"And the 5th? The Eye of Aman'Thul? What's our progress on its location?"

"Stolen by the Legion and their allies." Donyc shrugged, "I believe the leader of the Nightborn is the one currently in possession of the Pillar."

"I see..." Summer frowned, her voice growing noticeably tense as she brought herself up to her full height, which was still at least a head shorter than the males standing around her. "I suppose this just adds another reason to hasten our preparations in the assault of the Nighthold."

"Relax Sum..." Qrow, who was leaning casually against one of the pillars that surrounded the war table, chuckled loudly. "It ain't goin' nowhere, and neither are all those demons that're probably guardin' both it and whoever has their paws on it. They'll be there when we're good'n ready. Don't worry your red head off about it right now."

Summer made it a point to make sure the roll of her eyes at Qrow was visible, though she couldn't help the smile that trailed onto her face. He hadn't changed over the years.

"So what's our directive in terms of the rebels in Suramar? Continue building up their strength?" Donyc asked, to which many of the Death Knights hovering around the war room let out grunts of agreement.

"I would say so," Wrath nodded before glancing at the necropolis' visitors. "What do you all think?"

"It would certainly be useful to have an ally so close to the Legion's main base on Azeroth." Summer nodded.

"Agreed. I'm sure we could head there ourselves to see if we could also lend a hand." Ozpin added, sloshing around the remaining coffee that remained in his thermos.

At those words Summer let out a small hum of discomfort. "If you do, then I would ask I stay behind in Acherus."

"Why's that Sum? Didn't get enough beauty sleep the last decade or so?" Qrow quipped, shooting a smart smirk in his former teammate's direction, to which he received a glare that wiped the smirk off his face in an instant.

"No, I want to see if I can coordinate a more efficient plan of attack while you strengthen the rebellion." Summer explained, glancing around the various faces who all nodded in understanding.

All but one.

"You don't trust us to make our own plans White Reaper?" Donyc asked, crossing his half rotten arms.

This time it was Blake who spoke up, catching the attention of the Death Knight. "I think she means that it would be best to use our resources as they were meant to be used instead of forcing people into roles that don't suit them. If Summer is more of a strategist than Qrow or Ozpin, then wouldn't it be wise to-..."

"That is an opinion." Donyc finally interrupted, his tone sour.

"Yes, but-..."

"And did I ask for your opinion?"

"No," Blake conceded, shooting a glare at the Forsaken. "But I'm no child. My opinion is just as valid as anyone else's here-..."

"Did I ask..." Donyc began again, this time speaking slowly, as if speaking to a child. "For your opinion?... Yes, or no?"

"No, but-..."

"Exactly."

An uncomfortable silence passed over the visitors as Donyc walked over to Blake, stopping when his face was only inches from hers.

"Don't forget your place here," The Forsaken hissed. "Nosey cunt."

Blake silently glowered at the Death Knight, her fists clenched as she contemplated ripping his tongue right out of the remainder of his jaw. However, before she could take the opportunity to respond in kind Wrath spoke up.

"Is there anything else Donyc?"

"No, Deathlord."

"Then you are dismissed. Return to your duties."

"...Right away."

Donyc was quick to turn and walk off the platform, though not without giving Blake one last glare for good measure.

"Heh... He seems like a charmer." Qrow muttered once Donyc had disappeared from sight, back into the throngs of Death Knights and Ghouls.

Wrath sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He's not very fond of Blake."

" _Really_? Couldn't have guessed."

"Did you do something to offend him Miss Belladonna?" Glynda inquired, genuinely confused. She had always known Blake to be a less than sociable young woman, and while she was never the most outgoing she never did anything to the Assistant Headmaster's knowledge that would elicit such disdain.

"No," Blake replied, glaring in the direction that the Forsaken had disappeared to. "He just dislikes me. Never really gave a reason."

Qrow only shrugged at the Faunus' words. "Eh, can't please everyone."

"So, are we in agreement as to the plan moving forwards?" Summer asked, bringing everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.

Everyone was quick to nod in agreement with the white cloaked huntress, though Qrow was the first to speak up. "Oz, Goodbitch, and I will head down to the surface to see if we can help jumpstart this rebellion."

"Excuse me?!-..."

"Good, I'll remain here." Summer interrupted before Glynda could raise her riding crop. "I suppose this is meeting adjourned then."

Ozpin and Qrow both nodded at that, saying their goodbyes before heading back to the upper platform and to the bullhead which had transported them away, with an angry Glynda trailing slowly behind, practicing swinging her riding crop as she strode away.

"I'm going to go see if Archivist Zubashi has any ideas to improve Acherus' defenses should the Legion decide to attack." Wrath said as he scanned the surrounding Death Knight's for the Archivist. "Troll's weird but I'll be damned all over again if he can't find something to improve about this place."

Realizing the Troll was nowhere in sight Wrath nodded to both Summer and Blake before stepping off of the platform and wading into the rapidly dispersing crowd of Death Knights in an effort to find the Archivist.

Blake soon made her way towards the edge of the platform in an attempt to follow the Sin'Dorei when Summer suddenly spoke up. "Blake! Hold on."

Blake froze at the White Reaper's command, turning around to face the older woman. "What? Something wrong?"

"No, no. I was just wondering if I could speak with you for a moment."

"Why?" Blake spat, her mood obviously still sour from Donyc's comment.

"That Death Knight, Donyc, might not value your strategic opinion, but I certainly would." Summer replied, easily hypothesizing the reason for the edge in the Faunus' tone. "Now come over here. We have much to discuss and only a few hours left in the day."

Blake was still for only a moment or two before she gave a subtle nod and approached the war table.

* * *

"This is realllly uncomfortable..." Ruby whispered as she stared at the exchange occurring before her.

"Aye, can say that again..." Thomas agreed, his voice also soft.

Weiss said nothing to add to the commentary of the Reaper and Worgen, only standing ramrod straight with her hands intertwined behind her back as she watched with an emotionless expression on her face as her father, General Ironwood, and Anduin all sat around the Chairman's desk conversing.

"And, Chairman Jacque and General Ironwood, I can be assured that Atlas personnel will not interfere with the Alliance's comings and goings during the war?" Anduin asked as he glanced over at General Ironwood who nodded.

"Yes, and the reinforcements to strengthen our defenses?" The aging man inquired.

"By the end of the month." Anduin replied, receiving another small nod of appreciation in response. "Will that be all then?"

"No, as a matter of fact... We've recently run into another issue... Though quite honestly it's much inconsequential than the rest..." Weiss' father, Jacque, muttered as Ironwood pulled himself from his seat, dusting off his military uniform.

"Oh?" Anduin asked.

"Yes, well. To put it simply..." Jacque paused for a moment before sighing. "Our moon appears to have gone missing."

"Missing?"

"Yes. For the last couple of months the only thing illuminating Remnant's skies have been the stars. The shattered moon which once hung over the land has vanished."

"Something just like that happened while we were kicking the Legion out of Vale." Ruby recalled, catching the attention of the three men. "But I think it reappeared before we left."

"Even so, it is missing once again." Jacque said, effectively silencing the reaper.

"We have people who could help you on that front as well. The Kaldorei. They're known for their connection with anything lunar." Anduin offered, to which Jacque hummed in agreement.

"Very well King Anduin. I suppose that concludes our deliberations. I look forward to the potential benefits of continued cooperation from both of our countries."

"Likewise Chairman Jacque." Anduin smiled and reached out his hand, a gesture which the chairman returned, giving the young King's hand a firm shake.

"If that will be all I really must get back to my military duties. I assume I'm free to leave?" Ironwood asked, subtly gesturing towards the doorway.

Jacque nodded once, giving the General the go ahead.

"Thank you for your help King Anduin, it will be much appreciated by both me and my men." Ironwood said as he turned to Anduin, giving the young King one final handshake before he turned and made his way for the door.

"And you as well General Ironwood."

Ironwood left without another word while Anduin took his place back beside Ruby.

After a few moments of increasingly tense silence Jacque finally glanced over to his youngest daughter, who had still seemingly not moved a muscle. "And you Weiss... Have you been well?"

"I have, Father."

"And your vocal exercises? Have you kept to your proper training regiment?"

"Vocal exercises? Hold on..." Thomas interrupted before Weiss could answer, glancing over at the girl in question with disbelief shining in his eyes. "You sing? News to me."

"Well... Yes, I just-..." Weiss stuttered, hoping to just pass off a quick lie and be done with the topic. But that stupid wolf just had to open his big fat mouth. "I..."

"It seems my inquiry has been answered, though the answer is not one I find," The aging man seemed to tense up as his gaze upon his visibly nervous daughter hardened. "... _Satisfactory_..."

"I apologize father... I'll..." Weiss muttered, hanging her head dejectedly. "I will restart my daily training schedule immediately. Forgive me..."

Upon hearing those words Thomas could only stare at Weiss. If his face had shown surprise before, than what he now wore was a whole new level of astonishment.

"Are you serious? Forg-..." Thomas trailed off as he bit back a curse. "This is coming from the girl who called me a 'dumb mutt' when we first met..."

"Dumb mutt? What in the name of Dust possessed my daughter to call you that?" Jacque asked, his eyebrow's raising in curiosity.

"He smells." Weiss said simply, eliciting a low growl from the hooded man beside her.

"Oh, so we're going down that road-..."

"Thomas." Anduin spoke up, halting Thomas before he could spit out something he would later regret.

"...Fine."

"You really should learn how to interact with your betters..." Jacque muttered as he brought his hands together under his chin, clearly unimpressed with Thomas' behavior.

"Could say the same for your precious daughter..."

"I'm sorry?" Jacque asked, his hands dropping back down to his desk. "Care to repeat that?"

"You heard me."

"No, I don't think I did, because I thought I heard you insulting my daughter."

"Well then congratulations. You can hear." Thomas spat, crossing his arms as he stared down at the Chairman condescendingly. "They don't give out awards for that unfortunately."

"How dare you address me in such a disrespectful tone young man!..."

"How dare you wear your hair slicked back like you belong in a goblin slum. What's it held it place with? Hair gel or your own dried-..."

" _Thomas_!..." Anduin tried again, only for his voice to seemingly fade into nothingness as the disguised Worgen did not even flinch at the harsh tone, ignoring the King completely.

"You will learn to respect both me and my daughter!" Jacque commanded, slamming his fist down onto his desk as he glared angrily at Thomas. "Her surname alone is worth more than a hundred, a thousand, of you!"

Ruby and Weiss both visibly winced at those words.

If Ravarth was known for one thing among his soldiers it was his lack of 'special treatment'. Even the sons and daughters of politicians that were brave enough to join the military, and unlucky enough to fall under the Worgen's command, were quickly beaten into line with the farmhands and servents; Weiss included.

This was going to be bad...

Thomas' mood seemed to darken all at once at that moment, the few muscles visible from under his clothing tensing as he approached the Chairman's desk, leaning over on the wood, coming only a foot or two from the face of the older man.

"Her _name_?..." Thomas let out a huff of amusement, his breath causing Jacque's nose to scrunch. "That's what you expect me to give a damn about?"

Jacque raised an eyebrow at the masked man's words, though he chose to remain silent.

"Let's get something straight between the two of us... I don't give a damn what name your daughter holds." Thomas straightened up, letting the next few words slip from his mouth like an arrow from the string of a bow. Aimed for the heart. "Tell me something-... Jacque was it? Right. Tell me something Jacque..."

Thomas glared at the older man, his eyes shifting to a yellow tone for only a brief moment.

"Have you ever had a loved one die in your arms?"

Silence drifted throughout the room as those present attempted to process what had just come from the disguised Worgen's mouth, with Weiss in particular muttering a small string of prayers.

"Are you threatening me _boy_?" The Chairman finally asked, part of him in complete disbelief as to what he was hearing come from the hooded man's mouth. Very few were brave enough to threaten him, with fewer still walking away from the encounter.

Thomas meanwhile merely spared a sideways glance over at an uncomfortable looking Weiss before turning back to the woman's father.

"...Your daughters, Weiss and Winter... They're what most would call beautiful... Some may even see them as flawless." Thomas said, his voice low but steady. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Of course I would! They are Schnees after a-..."

"So tell me, what do you think would happen if your kingdom was suddenly found under siege by a neighboring power or some other malicious foe?"

Jacque, unsure of where the Worgen was attempting to lead to, took the bait out of curiosity. "Atlas currently possesses the largest standing military force on all of Remnant. We-..."

"You won't answer? Fine. Let me be more direct..."

"The bulk of your army is made up of robots. Machines. And what happens when those toys break, or your enemy knows how to counter such 'military might'?" Thomas asked, his condescending gaze returning. "What would you have then? A few thousand men against an army that would no doubt outnumber them 5 to 1, at least if I counted correctly as I scanned the various patrols on our way here."

"Y-... You what?!..."

"And then enemy soldiers would storm the streets of Atlas, looting anything of value while leaving the rest to the flames." Thomas continued, "And what do you think they would do when they made their way here? Give your front door a fresh coat of paint, leaving you and your family unharmed, before departing for greener fields?"

Jacque said nothing, only glaring at the disguised Worgen with growing hatred.

"No response?" Thomas let out a huff. "I'll answer for you then..."

The room grew eerily silent for nearly half a minute before Thomas continued, and with each word he spoke the expression of the Chairman sitting before him quickly shifted to one of terror.

"Your daughters would be forcibly bent over this table to satisfy every soldier that decided they missed their wives or just wanted a quick _fuck_ , all while they scoop out your eyes with their nails and cut out your overused tongue with a rusted saw for amusement." The hooded man clarified, his voice unflattering as he spoke. "And there wouldn't be a damn thing they, or you, could say to stop it..."

" _Commander Thomas Bloodclaw_! Cease this behavior at once!" Anduin yelled in one last desperate attempt to quell the fight, but Thomas only glanced back for a moment before turning back to Jacque.

"So I'll ask you again..." Thomas muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he stared down the aging man. "Have you ever watched a loved one die before your eyes? Have you ever felt the powerlessness that comes with it? The fear? The sadness? The singular desire to turn back the clock, just to right a wrong? To change one little thing that may have prevented disaster?"

Thomas' eyes shifted once more, though this time they remained their bright yellow tint, seemingly making an attempt to bore a hole straight through the Chairman's skull as the masked man let out a low growl that sounded as if it had come more from a wild beast than a man.

"Because if that time comes... Well... I can guarantee you that your precious family name won't mean a _goddamn thing_."

* * *

"Well I don't know about you but had to have been the most fun I've had all month."

"I can't believe you did that... I can't believe you really just did that..." Weiss muttered, her face buried in her hands as she and Thomas stood in a small elevator, each leaning against opposite walls, facing one another.

"Relax Weiss. It's not like any of what I said would actually _Happen_." The obviously amused man chuckled.

"That's not the issue here Ravarth!" The heiress snapped, her hands shooting down to her sides as she clenched her fists, resisting the urge to wipe the smirk that was not doubt present under Thomas' mask.

Thomas glanced over for a moment before letting out a loud sigh of annoyance, his shoulders dropping. He really didn't see the big deal. Weiss' father's face probably turned that deep red color naturally anyway.

"You've been temporarily stripped of your rank and suspended from military service!" Weiss chided, only to get a nonchalant shrug in response.

"I'll get it back."

"You've insulted my father and the rest of my family!"

"He was pissing me off."

"You... _you_ -..." Weiss trailed off as she realized that her words were doing little more than bouncing off the disguised Worgen's verbal shield. "What in that thick head of yours could have possibly convinced you that what you did was a good idea?!"

"I didn't like the way he was talking to you."

"...Excuse you?" Weiss whispered, her teeth clenched. "You speak to me the exact same way all the time!"

"No, I don't talk to you like you're some asset."

"An asset? I'm his _Daughter_."

"Sure didn't seem like it back there."

The elevator door opened a moment later, revealing a simple yet elegantly decorated hallway that stretched on for what seemed like miles. Every few meters a different painting hung from the sterling tinted walls, providing a bit of natural color to what would have otherwise been nothing but emotionless silver.

The two step out into the hallway with Weiss taking the lead. The heiress said nothing as they strode down the seemingly never ending hall, only leading Thomas to a door before she began digging around her purse for her scroll.

A moment later she pulled the device in question into view, bringing it to bear before a small module near the door, which suddenly lit up in a green hue as the sound of a lock unlatching filled the hallway.

"You're lucky I ended up setting up my own private account a few years ago, otherwise you'd be on the streets right now..."

"And why do that?" Thomas asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, watching the heiress unlock the strange device that latched the door shut. "Daddy dearest seems to value your talents. I'm sure he'd pay for anything you wanted... As long as you listened to him that is..."

"Quiet."

They both stepped inside the room a moment later, with the door letting out a loud click to alert the two that the lock had been re-engaged.

However that sound was soon drowned away as the room was suddenly filled with the much more pronounced sounds of cracking bones and tearing muscle. While it only lasted for a moment to two, it seemed to drag on forever.

When the sounds of transformation finally subsided Weiss glanced behind her to find the now somehow familiar form of the Worgen she had come to form a begrudging friendship standing before her, the cloth fallen away from his face during the transformation.

Despite the sight that stood before her, one that would have put her on edge only a year prior, instead the heiress said nothing, only turning away and crossing her arms just as Ravarth had done moments before while still in human form.

"So you're really going to go with the cold routine?" Ravarth asked, his voice deep and rough once more. "I figured you'd have a more mature way of dealing with this than that Weiss."

"Oh right, because you're one to speak about maturity..." Weiss muttered as she strode over to the balcony and leaned on the wall next to the doorway leading out onto the deck, gazing out onto the city below.

However, as she continued to stare silently out of the window, Weiss' eyes inevitably trailed over to the headquarters of her father's company. The company she was being groomed to very possibly take over one day.

The building that, despite its impressive stature, seemed to lack something. Though for the life of her Weiss just couldn't place what that thing was.

Was it color? No, it had that. Was it beauty? No, it had that in boatloads.

So... What was it?...

"Weiss?"

"...Why do you of all people even give a damn about what my father sees me as?" The heiress asked, not bothering to glance behind her.

"Because you aren't a resource to be used as he sees fit just because-..."

"Well to him I am."

Ravarth remained silent, instead opting to wait for the heiress to continue.

Weiss sighed, her crossed arms coming up to her shoulders in an unconscious self embrace as she shivered. "We all are. My brother and sister... Even my mother in a way. We're all assets. Pieces on a chess board ready to be maneuvered into exactly the right positions to defend the king."

When Weiss finally worked up the courage to risk a glance behind her she found the sight of the Worgen staring at her, no emotion betrayed on his lupine features.

It was as quiet as the void for what seemed like an eternity before Ravarth finally spoke. "I may not possess the skills needed to do much negotiation outside of a war room, but I'll be damned if I ever regard you or my soldiers as nothing more than pieces on a board..."

That void of silence was soon reinstated for a good few minutes, the two only staring at each other as the sun began to set over the horizon, bathing the room in an amber hue.

"...Well? Don't you have to run back to your father like a good little thrall?" Ravarth asked, breaking through the tense atmosphere like a bat to a windowpane.

"No. I'm waiting here until I know you won't get yourself into more trouble."

"The only reason I'm even in trouble is-... Ugh..." Ravarth conceded. He had no energy left to argue with anyone else today. "Fine. But I want food. Haven't eaten all day."

"You just think with your stomach all the time don't you?..."

"Would you rather me think with my-..."

"Alright, alright! I'll ordering dinner!" Weiss cried out as she quickly snatched her scroll from her bag. "Disgusting beast..."

Ravarth let out a soft laugh before he began back up towards the bathroom door. "I'll hide in the other room until it's here."

With that the Worgen entered the restroom, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.

Just as Weiss was about to dial a number into her scroll however the Worgen's voice drifted through the room once more. "And for the record Weiss, I smell fine!"

Weiss' lips tilted upwards ever so slightly before she began dialing.

* * *

"Well... There's Chief Ugly..." Yang muttered as she, Varimas, and Thal'kiel all ducked behind one of the many jagged rocks of the scar, gazing upon the lumbering form of the Pit Lord Jagganoth, seemingly searching the grounds for them.

"Yeah... Your weapons loaded?" Varimas asked as he pulled his new dagger from his belt, holding it down in an ice pick grip, ready to be used on anything foolish enough to draw within reach of its blade.

"Affirmatory, doubt they'll be able to punch through that much fat all at once though." Yang replied along with a gagging motion. "We going in with any sort of plan?"

"Affirmatory? Is that even a word-... You know what, never mind. I ask you that too much in the first place..." Varimas muttered before he turned to Thal'kiel. "Before we start fighting this bastard, got any tips for facing a Pit Lord Thal?"

"Survive the first 30 heartbeats and the fight will be ours." The skull said, it's tone betraying no emotion as it glared at the Pit Lord aimlessly wandering the scar.

"Is that all?! You know, for someone with your apparent experience I expected something better than 'try not to die'!"

"Pit Lords are not known for having a tactical mind Warlock!" Thal'kiel snapped as it turned its attention to Varimas. "They have a tendency of unleashing everything they have in a short time frame to kill an opponent as quickly as possible. After about 30 heartbeats, you can predict a Pit Lord's every move and exploit the weaknesses around it."

"Oh... That's actually useful. Thank-..."

"Also, try not to die."

"Goddamnit."

"I'm starting to like this guy more and more." Yang snickered, only to recieve another swift whack on the head, courtesy of the floating skull.

"I despise you greatly, harlot!"

"Eh, that'll change soon. I'm irresistible!"

"Lying will do nothing to assist you."

"Are we doing this or not?" Varimas asked, hoping to quell the two before they would no doubt raise their voices and end up getting them sought upon by every demon on the entirety of the scar.

"Yeah, yeah." Yang muttered, chambering rounds into Ember Celica. "Let's do this!"

With that the two stepped out of their makeshift cover, and into the line of sight of the Pit Lord, who noticed them after only a moment, only for his face to shift into rage once it realized just what floated freely beside the two blondes.

"You... You!... _YOU_!" Without another word of warning the demon suddenly roared out in a boiling rage, charging the small group with his massive glaive held out in front of him.

It took only a second or two for the massive demonic beast to reach the group, bringing down his massive glaive upon them...


	4. Chapter 4: Dinner with a Beast

**SUP!** ***dodges rock* I'm sorry! I was gonna update! Honest! But then something got in the way. That something being that I'm writing an original book and that obviously taking precedence. I figured I could work on it full time while season 4 was going on tat way I could get it out of my head faster. So yeah. But I'm back! Here's a chapter! Now stop throwing rocks!... Please...**

 **Review responses will be back next chapter. Normally I'd repond to everyone but it's been so long that I think responses would be a bit forced. So next chapter I'll return to that!**

* * *

Dinner with a Beast

* * *

 _"Men dream. But dreams hold no value here. What was the first bright light of hope has now turned into a long night of captivity. Lost in the dark we surrender our minds and forget who we are. But some of us have woken up. They remind us we still have a choice. To stand, not kneel. To oppose, not obey. To live, not just exist." - Captain Edward James Kenway, Master Assassin of the Assassin Brotherhood._

* * *

"And then using that, we'll hopefully be able to force the Legion's forces to traverse the three bottlenecks we'll create, rendering them nearly immobile, at least if they want to avoid a fight." Summer explained as she traced a small line across a map of the Broken Isles which had been littered with different signs and symbols.

Blake said nothing in response, prompting the older huntress to glance up at the Faunus.

"Blake?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." The woman in question replied hastily, realizing she had spaced out for the third time since Summer had first called her over to the war table. "That sounds fine."

Summer let a smile cross her face, "Go on, you can ask."

"Ask what?"

"You want to know where I've been all these years, am I right?"

"I'll admit, I'm curious..." Blake muttered as she leaned against the war table, her arms lazily folded across her chest. "The way Yang always talked about you it seemed like you wouldn't just disappear for no reason."

"Only Yang?" Summer asked, "Ruby's never mentioned me?"

"No. Ruby-... Ruby doesn't talk about you." Blake said with a shrug, dropping her hands to her sides as she watched a flash of disappointment shoot across Summer's expression. "It's always been a pretty sensitive spot for her."

"I see..."

Blake's eyes trailed down at the barely audible sound of tapping to find Summer's fingers softly drumming against the table.

"I truly wish she and Yang could've grown up in a world that no longer needed huntsmen and huntresses..." Summer sighed as she tilted her head back down to the table, her silver eyes hidden by the white fabric of her hood.

"But she follows your example," Blake pointed out.

"What do you mean?"

"As a huntress. She's always fought to protect her friends."

"Yes, I know. I was always watching, from afar at least." Summer admitted, "I know she's grown up to be a capable fighter. I just-... She shouldn't have had to."

"Why? Aren't you proud of them?"

"Proud? I'm as proud of my girls as any mother could be."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but if you were so proud of them, then why leave them?" Blake asked, the skepticism in her tone clear.

Summer's gaze darted back to the Faunus, though her own voice held no hostility. "Please, don't be mistaken. My absence was not of my own volition. If I could turn back the clock and be a part of my daughter's lives again I would do so in a heartbeat."

"Then why don't you?"

Summer's expression instantly shifted to one of confusion, her fingers which had kept up their steady drumming against the table finally falling still.

"What's done is done. Their childhoods have pretty much passed..." Blake conceded, taking a moment before speaking up once more. "But Ruby is in Remnant right now, meeting the chairman of the Schnee Dust Company as we speak."

"I wish it were that simple Blake. I truly do. But think about it this way..." Summer began, finally turning to face the Faunus, exposing the two chain Kama that hung from her hips. "To my daughters and my husband, I've been dead for over a decade."

"Your husband? Even Ruby and Yang's Dad doesn't know you're still alive?"

Summer shook her head.

"No. He doesn't." The White Reaper continued, before letting a sad smile creep onto her face. "Though I suppose he's more of an ex-husband by now. He always was good at getting girls to fall for him."

"Why doesn't he know?" Blake pressed, her usual dull tone growing stern.

"Because... It's just for the best that way..."

"How could hiding from the people you called a family be for the best?" Blake asked in disbelief.

Not that she had much room to talk.

"He and the girls have had over a decade to mourn my death. Over a decade to come to grips that they would never see me again." Summer turned away from Blake, turning her gaze back down to the map. "And over a decade to move on from their loss."

Blake watched silently as a tear impacted against the parchment, staining the carefully drawn out map, marring the ink laden paper forever.

"What could be more cruel to them than learning the last decade of their lives they believed a lie?..."

"...Learning years from now that you really were alive but still refused to speak or make contact with them." The Faunus replied, watching as Summer's shoulders visibly tensed. "That's what's more cruel in my opinion..."

Summer let out a small dry chuckle, using her cloak to wipe away the tears continuing to build in her eyes. "You're a wise young woman Blake..."

Before Blake could reply to the huntress' compliment a loud slam suddenly rang out throughout the war room, bringing their attention to the approaching figure of Donyc, his pace hastened by whatever news he seemed to carry.

"White Reaper!" Donyc yelled as he approached, the echo ringing throughout the platform despite the massive openings that lead to the outside air on every side of the room.

"Hmm? What is it Death Knight?" Summer asked, disguising the previous sadness that had been in her voice with a near perfect emotionless tone that could have easily given Blake a run for her money for the most apathetic sounding of the group.

"You might want to get your weapons sharpened, we just got a report of something big!..." Donyc exclaimed. It was then that Blake realized that the Death Knight's sword, Apocalypse, was in its owner's hand and ready to be used.

"What? What's going on?"

"Seems the Legion's making another attempt at Remnant, and a few warlock spies are telling us that they're being lead by a new commander." The Forsaken clarified, tapping his foot impatiently.

"New commander?" The elder huntress asked, to white Donyc gave a curt nod, his tongue wagging freely like a plagued worm wriggling free of its den. "And the rebels of Suramar? What of them?"

"They'll have to manage with the help they're already goin' to get from the Horde and Alliance. Our priority is the Legion invasion force."

"Tell us more while we walk. We had better find Wrath."

"He's already aware, which is a damned miracle given how distracted he's been as of late." Donyc replied, taking another moment to shoot a sharp glare at Blake, who sent her own in return. "The rest of Acherus is preparing for battle as we speak. You two'll be helping."

Summer and Blake glanced at each other, neither daring to step forwards first, eliciting an annoyed groan from the Forsaken Death Knight as a result.

"I don't care if you two are guests, if you're on this necropolis, you're fighting on behalf of this necropolis! Now let's move!"

Without another word Donyc turned and stalked towards the upper platform where the main teleport pad resided, leaving the two huntresses to stare at his slowly receding form.

"Qrow was right," Summer chuckled, "He's quite charming."

"That's a word for it I guess." Blake grinned in agreement.

"Come, I'd rather not learn of any other nicknames he's given you, and I certainly would like to avoid earning one of my own." The senior huntress said before making her own way towards the teleportation pad.

"Right behind you."

* * *

"So... Question." Weiss asked, watching Ravarth as he ripped into the latest of what seemed like a thousand chicken legs, watching as he swallowed the meat without so much as a second thought as to chewing.

"Hmm?" He hummed between bites, his lupine eyes focusing on the heiress as he ate.

"Where'd you get the name Bloodclaw anyway?"

The Worgen hesitated just bore biting into another slab of meat, lowering the leg of chicken, "What do you mean?"

"That's not exactly what I'd call a family name. It sounds like you came up with it yourself." Weiss pointed out. She had heard many strange names during her time in Azeroth, yet every Worgen surname she heard always left her confused. While most names held by the members of other races seemed to signify some higher meaning or symbolism to an extent, the Worgen's seemed to rely only on intimidation factors with their names.

"You'd be right." Ravarth replied, taking a moment to rip another chunk of meat from his drumstick before continuing, "I don't use my original last name."

"Why not?"

Ravarth only continued eating, breaking his line of sight with Weiss, who raised an eyebrow at the Worgen's actions.

"Ravarth?" She attempted once more, "Why not?"

"...I'm not answering that."

"Fine..." Weiss sighed, knowing that arguing with Ravarth would be about as productive as repeatedly slamming her forehead against a brick wall. "Will you at least tell me where you came up with Bloodclaw then? Just so we aren't sitting here in complete silence."

Ravarth remained in his bubble of silence for a few moments, chewing away at his latest chunk of meat.

Just as Weiss glanced back down at her food in disappointment the Worgen spoke.

"I named myself Bloodclaw after the Worgen pack that attacked Gilneas and gave us all this curse in the first place." Ravarth explained, his voice monotone as he seemed to flash through the memories he spoke of, "They call themselves the Bloodfang pack. I figured I'd adopt at least the blood part."

"And the claw?"

"...First things I used as a Worgen."

"How do you know that?" She asked as she placed her fork on her plate.

"Hmm?" He hummed, finally making eye contact with the heiress.

"How do you know you used your claws?" Weiss pressed, silently hoping that she was finally beginning to make some progress.

"Process of elimination."

"But... Didn't you tell me that you couldn't remember what happened when you first became a Worgen?" She recalled, images of the old beaten tent she had been stowed away in during the Battle for Vale flashing in her minds eye.

"That's right. But I told you something else, remember?"

Weiss thought for a moment before cautiously shaking her head, "...No, you just said that your family and the other refugees had been-..."

"Weiss. A feral Worgen's bite is contagious." Ravarth clarified, watching as the spark of realization ignited in Weiss' eyes. "If your bitten by a feral Worgen then the chances are it'll leave it at that. Make a new pack member. It's instinct."

"So what your saying is-..."

"If I had bitten my mother, sister, and the other refugees, then they'd all be alive. Worgens, but alive." Ravarth held up his claws, flexing his digits, the dim lit catching off the almost knifelike tips. "And they aren't..."

"What if you did bite them though?"

Ravarth hesitated for a moment before speaking, "I don't follow."

"What if you bit them and the other refugees tried to defend themselves and you attacked out of self defense?"

"It's possible I suppose. The men that found me did say they found a gun and a bloody knife..." The Worgen conceded, "Still. Part of me just doesn't want to accept I could've attacked her. Even like this."

Without another word Ravarth snacks he'd another piece of meat from his tray and bit into it, tearing away at the cooked muscle as if it were cotton candy. Even the bones hiding inside of the leg snapped like melting icicles the moment the Worgen's jaws closed around them.

As she watched him eat Weiss had to silently wonder; what could those teeth and claws really do to living flesh?

He swallows it near whole, waiting for a moment before speaking up again.

"Doesn't change anything in the end. They're dead. I killed them. How it happened doesn't exactly matter much, does it?"

"Then why let it define you?"

Ravarth halted just as his jaw was about to clamp down into another piece of meat, watching the heiresses expression with a single lupine eye before muttering, "Why do you let your position as an heiress define you?"

"Because I was born heiress to my father's company. I, as a Schnee, am expected to hold a certain standard to myself and those around me." Weiss explained, "You weren't born a Worgen."

"Does that make the fur and fangs any less real?"

Weiss felt her expression falter, watching as Ravarth went back to eating.

"No... No, I suppose it doesn't..."

Ravarth said nothing in response.

"But if things had been different, if you hadn't become a Worgen, you could still be Thomas." Weiss pointed out, her voice carrying an undertone of sadness that it had not before. "But if I wasn't an heiress, then what? Who would I be?"

"Your own person."

"I Am my own person..."

"Are you?"

The two stared at each other with stern expressions painted on their faces, neither saying a word. With each second that passed Weiss slowly felt the tension in the room beginning to grow thick. Ravarth had turned his attention completely away from his meal in favor of the impromptu staring match against the heiress, something that Weiss had learned from other soldiers serving under the Worgen was a rarity equivalent to that of Orcs running freely around Stormwind.

However before either could speak up once more in an effort to relieve that tension the unmistakable sound of the entrance keycard lock suddenly unlatching drew their attention to the door.

The sudden sound of rushing wind hit Weiss' ears, and without even bothering to turn around to look she knew that the Worgen that once sat across from her was gone, transformed into the human he had once been.

A moment later the door loudly creaked open and a head popped through, white hair neatly done up in a bun practically shining in the dimly light room.

"Weiss? Is everything alright?" Winter's authoritative yet compassionate voice rang throughout the room, "Father informed me that you-..."

The specialists voice suddenly seemed to fail her as her eyes finally adjusted to the light, finally registering the sight of her sister sitting across from a young man with pale skin, short red blonde hair atop his head, and his face covered in scraps of meat and juices.

And that man was staring back at her, his eyes focused on her with a heated glare as he crossed his arms, uttering a muffled curse.

"Weiss, who is this?!"

* * *

"Well... While what you two are suggesting is rather bold, I welcome the help wholeheartedly." A Nightborn female, perched atop a stone railing in a ruined old chamber, said as she opened her arms in a show of greeting to the three individuals who stood adjacent from herself, "Welcome to Shal'Aran my friends."

Glynda was the first to speak up, holding her hand out in her own gesture of greeting, which the Nightborn readily shook with a smile on her abnormally slim face. "We thank you for your hospitality miss?-..."

"Thalyssra."

Qrow let out a loud whistle, "That's a mouthful. How'd'ya spell it?"

"Don't be rude Qrow." Glynda chastised, to which the drunken man let out a soft belch as he leaned against the same stone railing Thalyssra was perched upon.

"Eh, it's not rude. Just pointin' out the obvious here."

"Not to worry, no offense taken," Thalyssra chuckled as she watched the two argue, "Well, as long as you three are here to help I should-..."

The sound of footsteps echoing throughout the hallway silenced the Nightborn as all three Remanant born' present turned to face the sound of the approaching footsteps.

"Ah, perfect timing." Thalyssra exclaimed as the silhouette of an individual came into sight, their face obscured by the shadows of the decrepit old chamber, "Warriors of Remnant, may I introduce you to the hero who saved me from the claws of the Withered and helped us first establish Shal'Aran."

Both Ozpin and Qrow only silently stared in fascination at the figure, leaving Glynda to once again take the social initiative, greeting the newcomer with a small nod of her head. "Greetings. We look forward to working with you."

The figure let out a small huff of amusement, lifting up a hand, giving a single wave.

"Hey."


	5. Chapter 5: Jagganoth

**Jagganoth**

* * *

 **Alright! New chapter time! Not much news this time around other than that I'm hyped as heck for 7.2 to drop, so I'll jump right into responses!**

 **Phuxeds: It's not the player character. The player character is a hard concept to write effectively since a lot of people have a certain idea as to the personality of their character, discounting the race and class combos that people would all want to see the player character be. So no, this is a named character, but I kinda figure the player character is mentioned within the 'adventurers' name tag.**

 **Raging Archon: Don't worry, I'm sure Summer will be seeing Ruby soon. Very soon. Though I can't promise it'll be under the calmest of circumstances.**

 **TehUnoman: They're certainly something, a bit of laziness being one of their traits. You'll be seeing quite a bit of them in chapters to come.**

 **Smartjocklv: You're absolutely right about that bit concerning Ravarth. I didn't really check the last chapter for tonal consistency before I decided to publish it. I've since changed the ending of the last chapter a tiny bit. As for Summer; her intentions are kept vague on purpose, don't worry, they'll be revealed someday.**

 **Now, onto the chapter!**

* * *

 _"Once before we lived as one,_

 _This land was unbroken,_

 _Then demons came and we lost our way,_

 _Now wars our name,_

 _And shattered dreams are what remain."_ \- Phillip Presswood, The Heart of Battle

* * *

"Who are you?!" Winter's voice tore through the once calm aura of the hotel room, her normally poised and well mannered demeanor forgotten in the face of her unfortunate discovery.

"Winter!" Weiss cried as she leapt to her feet, rushing to stand between her sister and Thomas before a fight could break out between the two of them, "I, uh... Heh..."

Thomas meanwhile only continued to lounge, watching with interest as Weiss cut off Winter's progress towards the young man, "This is gonna end'n tears..."

"Who-... Weiss! Who is this?!" The eldest sister demanded, jabbing an acusitory finger in Thomas' direction.

"This!... Oh, this is just Thomas!..."

"And Why exactly are you sitting in a hotel room with him?!..."

Weiss quickly whirled around towards Thomas, hoping for assistance, only to find him sitting there, a disinterested expression plastered on his face. This however was not what made her falter.

It was his face, no longer hidden behind the mask that he had taken the time to use in order to conceal his human features.

He was indeed a young man, a mess of red blonde hair flowing just past his ears, eventually meeting up with the beginnings of his pronounced jawline, which seemed to hold no hint of their true lupine nature. A light dusting of freckles was present on his cheeks, giving him an almost childlike appearance.

If she hadn't seen his transformation more than once, albeit with a mask covering his face, Weiss would have never pegged the man sitting in front of her and her sister to be the same Worgen which she had fought beside, and sometimes with, for the last few months of her life.

Realizing that she had been silent for nearly half a minute Weiss spun back around on her heel and quickly began to form an excuse, sputtering as she wracked her mind for any sort of explanation that would sedate her sisters ire, "It's just so... So..."

Unfortunately for the heiress both her mind and voice eventually failed her, leaving her standing before her elder sister with an open mouth while Winter raised an eyebrow, her arms crossed.

Weiss was beginning to see how Ruby felt whenever stage heiress scolded the reaper.

"Keep talkin' Priss, hole's only getting deeper at this point." Thomas called from behind the two, eliciting little more than an unseen roll of the eyes from the girl in question.

"Then... Those symbols on that new armor of yours... That's his family crest, isn't it?" Winter theorized, pursing her lips together.

"Kingdom's actually." Thomas spoke up, receiving heated glare from both sisters. He was beginning to believe that glare was hereditary.

Winter was the first to speak up, slamming her boot down upon the carpeted floor, "Silence beast!"

Winter's words seemed to finally strike a nerve, "Oh, believe me bitch, if you knew how correct that statement was you'd-..."

"Thomas! No!" Weiss interrupted as she watched Thomas finally bring himself to his full height. Despite his now human appearance he still dwarfed her by nearly a head. If he decided to push past her there would be no stopping him without use of her glyphs.

"I'm ashamed Weiss, when our father hears of this-..."

"Wait! Don't tell father!" The younger Schnee cried as she whirled back around to face her sister with panic clear in her eyes. She had only barely dodged her father's ire when he had learned of her neglecting her vocal training, if he discovered this situation, well, Weiss didn't want to think of the consequences.

"Don't tell him?!... Weiss, are you aware of just what would have happened to your reputation if it hadn't been me to open that door?!..."

"I know, but it's-..."

"What if it had been one of the servants?" Winter pressed as Weiss hung her head in shame, her hands balled together in front of her as her elder sister continued to reprimand her. "Do you know how quickly they'd start talking?"

"Servants?" Thomas finally questioned, an eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"Yes, the servants!" Winter replied as if whatever she was implying was the most obvious thing in the world. Jabbing a finger in the direction of the door she continued, "Don't you two know how sensitive their ears can be?"

"Wait, Winter!-..." Weiss cried out, but it was already too late. Before she could say any more she felt a strong hand clamp firmly onto her shoulder, silencing her.

As she glanced behind her she felt her stomach drop.

Thomas' expression was far from the disinterested one that it had been only moments before. It was dead serious now, his eyes flashing a sickly yellow as Weiss felt the hand on her shoulder tensing up.

It was the same expression that he wore when he had told off the Schnee patriarch.

"...What exactly do you mean by sensitive ears?"

"Don't even think about telling me you haven't seen them." Winter scoffed, pinching the bridge of her nose for a moment to take a breath before suddenly blurting out, "I'm talking about the Faunus!"

The room seemed to grow cold in an instant.

"If this little discovery were to reach the general public then our family name would be damaged, and I assure you that the Faunus servants would be more than happy to leak that information!..." Winter continued, drawing closer to Weiss and Thomas as her barely pent up anger continued to build.

"The hell do you mean by ' _servants_ '?..." Thomas hissed out, his voice eerily calm, though both sisters could sense the malice dripping from every syllable.

"They _choose_ to work here in Atlas. We do not bind them here by force."

"Don't dodge the question..."

Winter merely crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed with the sudden change in Thomas' attitude. After years of dealing with her fellow soldiers it took quite a bit more than a tense atmosphere and an intimidating man to scare Winter Schnee.

Realizing that the situation was only going to degrade further if she did not step in, Weiss turned to face the disguised Worgen, "Thomas, hold on, I told you that there were some issues my company had with the-..."

"Issue?! You call slavery just an ' _issue_ '?!" Thomas suddenly yelled, causing Weiss to falter for a moment, bewildered by the sudden change of behavior from the man.

"It...it's not slavery!" She replied, attempting to regain her composure, only to lose it almost instantly as she felt something digging into her shoulder. Glancing down she saw that Thomas' nails had grown noticeably sharper and were beginning to slowly increase in length before her very eyes.

"Then what the hell is it?!" Thomas growled, his voice growing deep and more coarse with each word he spoke, as if his vocal chords were being twisted and turned like taffy inside of his throat.

"Like I just said! It's an issue!..." Weiss gently brought her own hand up to Thomas', hoping to quell the man before any truly noticeable changes could occur while Winter was still present, "An issue we're going to work to resolve..."

"Why do you have it at all?!"

"It's not actual slavery Thomas, it's just-..."

"Don't even think of trying to talk your way out of this!" He interrupted.

"The Alliance resorted to slavery once!" Weiss finally snapped. If Thomas really wanted to argue, then by hell, she would argue like only a Schnee could. "Don't act high and mighty, I've learned what your people did after the first war!"

"My people did nothing!" He yelled, jabbing a thumb against his sternum, "We sealed ourselves off from the rest of the world with the wall!"

"Oh right, look at you, the precipice of the moral high ground!" She scoffed, crossing her arms in an arrogant manner, "Tell me, what was it you got for sealing yourselves off again?!..."

Weiss regretted those words the moment they were out of her mouth.

Thomas's already cream colored eyes flashed a bright yellow as he suddenly began growling in an almost feral fashion, darker hairs beginning to emerge from his arms and hands, one of which was beginning to curl into a claw.

However, despite the anger coursing through him, Thomas couldn't help but to hesitate when he saw Weiss' eyes fill with worry.

No, he thought as his nails ceased the final steps of their transformation, that wasn't worry.

It was fear.

Thomas turned his attention away from the expression on Weiss' face however when he heard the unmistakable sound of a sword beginning to leave it's metal scabbard echoing out behind him like the whisper of a banshee.

"Back away from my sister..." Winter warned, her blade glinting in the dim light of the room.

She had to be careful. This man had a semblance she had never seen before. As far as she could tell the only thing his apparent semblance did was elongate his nails, but that was hardly enough to stand against demons.

Just what manner of semblance did this man possess?

No, she dismissed the fleeting traces of trepidation in her mind as she hardened her gaze. Winter Schnee was no fool. Thomas was hiding more than just some long nails, and the Maidens be damned before she would advance against an unknown foe such as this.

"I would never harm her..." Thomas turned to Winter, reaching towards Myrtenaster, which Weiss had previously laid out on the nearby dresser when she and Thomas first arrived, "You're a much different story... Shut your mouth and step back."

Winter of course silently contemplated bursting forwards and ending the entire problem before it could begin, however judging by the look on Thomas' face she would no doubt be in for a fight, and if this man was able to stand against demons then there was no doubt he would present at least a moderate challenge for her, and with Weiss caught in the crossfire...

"If you threaten me again-..."

"Stop!" Weiss ordered before violence could break out between the two warriors, "You're both acting like children!"

"Tell that to your slag of a sister-..."

"No! You've been agitating her just as much as she has you ever since we arrived at Atlas!" Weiss whirled around, giving Thomas' shoulder a jab. "Do you not have an ounce of shame?!..."

Winter raised an eyebrow when Thomas' hand, instead of ripping the sword from the table and charging past the younger Schnee, slowly dropped away from the sword, falling back to his side.

The man had not even blinked when their father and he had been embroiled in their argument, and certainly had made every effort to disobey anything and everything the man had said.

So why was he now heeding Weiss' order?

Winter had little time to contemplate the situation before Weiss turned to face her sister, a pleading expression on her face. "Winter, I promise I'll explain everything when I have the chance, but please... Can you just leave for now?"

Winter stole a glance over in Thomas' direction, who only glared back, though he obviously had no intention on reaching for Weiss' blade once more.

"...Very well." Winter sighed, turning back to Weiss, her usual stern demeanor making its grand reappearance, "But don't expect me to forget what happened here tonight."

"No... No I don't expect you will..."

Winter turned and made her way towards the door, crossing the room in only a few powerful strides. As she walked she said, "My original intention when I came here looking for you was to inform you that you'll be performing at a small ball that's being organized a week from now at the family residence in celebration of the treaty between the Azerothians and Remnant."

Winter stopped for only a moment, turning back glare one last time at Thomas.

"You are also expected to attend. Be there."

"Burn in hell."

Winter felt a frown creep onto her face but left without another word.

The moment her sister had left Weiss let out a shaken breath before sitting on the bed, her face in her hands.

"Your sister's a shrill bitch."

Weiss heard the unmistakeable sounds of Thomas' transformation before she felt the brushing of soft Worgen fur against her arm as he sat beside her.

"Ravarth... Earlier..."

Ravarth huffed, not saying a word.

"...I don't like it either. If it were up to me it would be a thing of the past."

"And why isn't it?" His words were quick and precise. Hastened. It was clear he didn't want to speak.

"Why do you think? My father is the chairman of the company," Weiss replied, her eyes downcast, "I may be the heiress but I don't have the authority to make changes like that until I'm the head of the SDC."

"Good to know."

An uncomfortable calm passed over the room.

"...I guess I'll leave... I'm sure Winter will want that explanation as soon as possible..."

Weiss stood, making her own way to the door as her sister had done only moments before. And like her sister she felt compelled to stop at the door and glance back.

And like her sister she was met with a glare from Ravarth.

"...I can sta-..."

" _Get out._ "

Weiss froze, letting out a silent gasp as she felt the Worgen's words send a proverbial ice lance through her stomach.

Sure, he had yelled at her before. They yelled at each other all the time. But something about what he said was different. There was no room for argument.

Nothing but an order.

Nothing but barely restrained anger.

She turned and left without another word of protest.

* * *

"You're far too late to save the other Warlocks... They now have the honor of amusing my Lord; Mephistroth!" Jagganoth yelled as he took another swing at both Varimas and Yang, snorting in amusement as the two rolled out of the way of the massive glaive slamming into the earth, crumbling the rock beneath it. "He will be most pleased to received yet more gifts, and I will be all too happy to take the both of you to him in the very chains you escaped from!"

He took another swing at the two, his glaive tearing through everything in its path as if it were no more than paper. Even a few smaller demons that had been unlucky enough to be within range of the swing were dispatched by the glaive, Fel blood spraying onto the soot covered ground, painting the dirt a sickly greyish green.

"Come! Do your worst! You will be broken!"

"Our worst? If you say so." Yang slammed her hands together and activated her weapon, her demonically enhanced semblance glowing a bright green as her hair flared up out of its ponytail.

Jagganoth wasted no time with further intimidation, instead opting to launch a fel bolt the size of a car towards Varimas. However the warlock did not move, causing the pit lord to falter as he watched the fel bolt sail towards the elf unabated.

Just before it impacted against Varimas, a large bubble of purple energy suddenly manifested around Varimas, the fel energy exploding upon contact with the shield, covering the area around the warlock in a thick blanket of black smoke.

Jagganoth glowered at the sudden intervention of the shield, waving his glaive around in an attempt to clear the smoke around the area, only to when he saw it.

The skull floating beside Varimas.

"No!... The Skull... Where did you find the Skull?!..." The Pitlord roared, a vine appearing on his grotesque head as he stared down at the elf, his eyes roaring with demonic energies.

"Oh, you know, just lying around somewhere." Varimas chuckled, drawing the dagger that had been resting on his belt, the edge of the bone-like blade flashing with a purple aura.

"Sorry bud, finders keepers!" Yang added in, giving the massive demon a sly wink.

"This cannot be!... I won't allow it!" Jagganoth seemed to simmer for but a moment before the top boiled over. Lifting his glaive overhead he let out a massive roar, "I _WON'T_!"

The Pitlord charged, all six of his mammoth sized feet pounding small craters into the cracked and arid ground of the land, small tremors accompanying each step as he swung his weapon in Yang's direction.

The brawler instinctively jumped to the side, Ember Celica sending several rounds of through his thick hide, explosions of muscle and green blood flying onto her face

The blows quickly send the Pitord staggering to the side, clutching at his knee and roaring in pain, blood seeping from between his large log sized fingers, pooling around his feet in a green puddle.

Varimas, seeing the opportunity, quickly sends a large bolt of shadowy energy towards the demon, only to watch in mild surprise as the spell exploded upon impact with the pit lord, blowing away a sizable chuck of flesh on his side, leaving him howling out in pain as it clutched its newest injury.

"Dayum, that's a new trick." Yang gaped, "How'd you do that?"

"I'm...not sure."

"My powers have amplified your own warlock." Thal'kiel spoke up, "Your magic has been infused with my essence, transforming your mere Shadowbolts into Demonbolts."

Yang snickered, watching with a wide smirk as the Pit Lord continued to struggle against his wounds. She almost felt bad for the big ugly bastard. Almost. "Okay, that's kinda cool!"

"Indeed, for I am the almighty-..."

"Me next!"

"How many times must we cover your apparent need to use that overly grating voice of yours?!" Thal'kiel roared, to which Yang gave a dismissive shrug.

"Three."

"That's two too many!"

" _Er_ , not to interrupt your argument, but..." Varimas motioned towards the large pitlord, who was letting around a loud string of eredar as he finally found his footing.

Instead of charging as he had before the Pitlord seemed to let out a loud curse before winding back his arm and throwing his tree-truck sized glaive towards

"Not a chance buddy!" Yang yelled as she used her semblance to burst forwards, holding out her gauntleted fists in front of her, slamming into the Pitlord's chest, bursting through the thick layer of armor like skin and shattering the bones within, leaving a massive cavity where it's lung had presumably once been.

Varimas, sensing the opportunity, strolled up with his knife in hand.

When he drew closer to the fallen Pitlord, the demon turned its fading gaze towards the Warlock, "The Legion... Has its new champion... She will come... She will spell doom to both of your worlds..."

Varimas said nothing, only bringing his blade down upon the demon's neck, causing the wound to spray green blood along the length of Varimas' robes, as well as flooding forth from his mouth.

However, before the blade could slice through the remainder of Jagganoth's throat one of the jagged sections of the dagger suddenly became jammed in the tough flesh. Varimas quickly began pulling on the knife, only for it to remain trapped no matter how hard he tugged against it.

As he struggled Jagganoth's eyes suddenly flashed a bright green as the demonic commander used seemingly the last of his strength to the last of his strength to grab hold of Varimas and lift him to his mouth in an attempt to kill him as well. "You. Will. Die!"

After a few moments of struggling against the grip of the Pitlord, Varimas eventually dislodged the dagger and without a moments hesitation forced the blade under the demon's jaw, forcing his mouth shut as well as piercing the blade through the bottom of its mouth.

Jagganoth, roaring out in agony, dropped Varimas and attempted to dislodge the knife from his throat, desperately clawing at it as blood began to seep from the wound.

Just as he got ahold of the handle however Yang quickly jumped up and hammered in the blade with a concise shotgun blast, sending the dagger clear through the demons skull and out the top of his head, landing several yards away next to its weielder, who watched in mild fascination as Jagganoth fell to the ground without another murmur of protest, his fel blood leaking out onto the already dyed ground, forever staining the dirt below it.

Turning his attention to his partner he found the blonde brawler giggling like a child, wiping the excess blood off of her clothes.

"Wow... Well, I guess we took him out with a Yang!~"

Thal'kiel nearly plowed straight through Yang's torso.

* * *

It was official.

Glynda Goodwitch and the very concept of sleep were mortal enemies on this night.

It had been a valiant attempt, but in the end she lost her battle to insomnia, and so there she was, wandering through the empty halls of the ruins! taking in every crack and crevice of the walls. Each section, every stone and tile, seemed to have been crafted with the most delicate of procedures, yet it had been left to rot over the thousands of years it had been left unattended.

Glynda let out a soft sigh. It was such a shame, to let such beautiful architecture go to waste.

However in the middle of her wander Glynda's ears picked up on something soft. Something small. A noise so subtle that she would have missed it were it not for years of listening out for the whispers of disobedient students and even more disobedient Ozpins.

Was that... Humming?

Quickly following the sound of the humming, Glynda soon found herself in what seemed to be the deepest section of the underground tunnels, where a single doorway to a small chamber lay, it's entrance nearly hidden by the shadows.

She turned the corner into the door expecting to find one of the many refugee Nightborn children humming the tune, or perhaps one of the many adventurers that seemed to trickle in and out of the underground hall, only to find her gaze set upon the one from before. The one who had met she and the others in the hallway with Thalyssra only hours before.

"Oh. Sorry, did I wake'ya?" The figure turned to face Glyna, who shook her head.

"No, no it's quite alright..." She said as she found herself wandering into the room, a calm smile on her face. "That was beautiful."

"Thanks,"

As Glynda drew closer to the figure she couldn't help but to hesitate for a moment. Now that she was finally standing only yards from the figure she noticed that the air around them was... Warm. Arid.

It had been positively freezing in other sections of the ruins, what with them underground. They had barely been able to ration out blankets for everyone, and even then most who had one still seemed to shiver and quake.

Yet in here it was as if the cold had been banished. In here it felt as fit she were merely taking a stroll through Beacon on a pleasant late-spring morning. She could practically smell the odor of freshly blooming flowers from the gardens and the chirp and chatter of both students and wildlife.

"You okay?"

And suddenly she was back. The figure's voice tearing through the image in her minds eye, transporting her back to the dank and gloomy ruins she stood within.

"Does it have a name?" She asked, attempting to tear her mind away from the perplexing change of atmosphere.

"Huh?"

"What you were humming." Glynda clarified, watching as the figure readjusted themselves on the rock that they sat upon, leaning back against the ruins of the hallway as if they were its private abode, "Does it have a name?"

"The Heart of Battle."

"Is it some sort of folk song?"

The figure let out a soft laugh, their hands coming to rest upon their lap, "Hardy. A bunch of adventurers on their way to defeat the former Lich King made it up. It was kind of a moral booster. I guess it just caught on."

"You were part of the group who slew the old Lich King?"

The figure nodded.

"You must've been on quite a few adventures then. I've had the opportunity to study up on all the things that have happened in the last few decades of your history," Glynda theorized, recalling the near endless hours she'd spent researching Azeroth before she, Ozpin, and the remnants of team STRQ had made their journey to the war torn world. "Everything from the opening of the Dark Portal to the wars in Pandaria. It must have been quite the experience to see all of that first hand."

"I wasn't part of the War for Pandaria." The figure stated simply, eliciting a wide eyed gaze from Glynda.

"Oh? How come? If you don't mind my asking of course."

"It was a stupid war. Even if I'd offered help it would've eventually just devolved into me being sent into some random region of Pandaria to strike out at military targets." Their voice grew sober, the not so subtle undertone of sadness adrift throughout their statement, "Besides... I had other stuff to deal with. More important stuff."

Glynda made to mouth some form of sympathetic sentiment, only to trail off when the figure spoke up once more.

"Sorry, I'm being a grump." The figure said, letting out a small laugh, before turning to the teacher, "Why're you up so late? Figured everyone would be resting up for our assault on the Nighthold."

"I certainly should be," Glynda admitted bashfully, "I suppose part of me is still struggling to accept this whole mess."

"...Must've been kinda crazy for all of you, huh?" The figure asked, though their tone was knowing. Glynda raised an eyebrow at this. Was this person used to sudden change? She supposed an adventurers life would inevitably be filled with an almost constant measure of uncertainty.

"Though I'm sure many of Remnant's citizens are in the same boat as I, I can safely say that if I had been told that I would one day be fighting a demonic army on an alien world with the fate of both that world and Remnant hanging in the balance..." Glynda chuckled, giving a small shake of the head, "Well, I would've probably ended up hitting him, because the only one I know perpetually drunk enough to come up with a story like that is Qrow."

"Yeah, about that, how is he able to fight so well while he's smashed?"

"No one knows."

The figure snickered.

The next few minutes were filled with casual conversation between the two. The figure it turned out was much more talkative than they first appeared to be, which Glynda was more than thankful for. She was prepared to but now she was relatively sure she could have spent the rest of the night wrapped up in conversation with this adventurer.

Unfortunately all good things were bound to come to an end eventually, and with a soft sigh the figure suddenly brought themselves off of their perch on the stone and stretching.

"Well, I'd better head out to scout the area. The Blood Elf and Night Elf forces that'll be joining us in sieging the Nighthold should be arriving in the morning, and I don't want them to run headfirst into a Nightborne patrol before they have an opportunity to get the bulk of their forces on the ground."

"Of course," Glynda smiles as the figure passed by her, "Could you use a hand?"

"...Hmm, you know... Not really, but it'd be nice to have the company." The figure pointed to a nearby rack where several old saddles rested, the leather worn and strings frayed, though they still appeared useable, if only barely. "Grab a saddle. You're gonna need it."

"Can your horse not hold two people?" The blonde haired woman asked as she went over to retrieve one of the saddles, brushing off excess dirt from the various buckles and belts. Evidentially this donation had not been from Azeroth's more prestigious leatherworkers.

"Don't have one."

"I'm sorry? You don't have a steed of some sort?"

"Nah, I don't need one." Figure snickered at the surprised expression plastered on Glynda's face. Tilting their head towards the doorway they said, "C'mon, you'll see."


	6. Chapter 6: Tell Me Something

Tell Me Something

* * *

 **Hey people! Not too much to say today. The next chapter for this story is actually already planned out and half written so it should only be a few weeks before it's out! Enjoy!**

 **Raging Archon: Nope they're not a Night elf. And who knows, maybe Glynda wasn't thinking of spring just because of flowers and nature. Maybe she was thinking about the tem-... But I'm sure you'll all figure it out soon enough!**

* * *

 _"I push away those who I want most in my life, telling myself that it's better I learn to live without attachments. But deep inside I know that all I want is for someone to resist my efforts at pushing them away and to tell me that I'm worth holding onto, even in my darkest moments." - Unknown_

* * *

"So remind me again how this is safe?" Blake asked as she, Summer, Wrath, and Donyc all gazed down at the scene before them.

On the lower section of Acherus, just below the group, several Kirin Tor mages were channeling arcane energies into the air next to where Acherus floated, above the Broken Isles, it's intimidating presence and reputation as the specter of death that it was, even with the Tomb of Sargeras just miles away.

"Never said it was, but it's the quickest way we'll be getting to Atlas." Donyc muttered in reply, the usual edge in his voice whenever he addressed Blake present. "We'll just have to hope they don't think we're the enemy and attempt to shoot us down on sight."

"Won't they recognize Acherus?" Summer asked.

"Image means everything White Reaper," Donyc said, his eyes transfixed on the forming wormhole in the sky, "When you look scary people tend to strike first and ask questions later, regardless of your intentions. Believe me, I'd know."

"Alright, that limits our options... We'll have to improvise." The white cloaked huntress murmured as her hand found her chin, which she pinched in thought for a few moments before turning to the Deathlord, "Wrath?"

"Hmm?"

"Death Knights are able to create a magical shield that surrounds a small area around them, correct?"

"We have two different types, a personal one and one we can use to surround-..." Wrath seemed to catch on to whatever Summer seemed to be planing and gave the Reaper a nod, crossing his arms, "You suggesting what I think you are?"

"That depends, do you have a conduit around here that you can project large amounts of power from?" Summer asked, "Preferably something that wouldn't add any extra weight or extend travel time?"

Wrath and Donyc glanced at each other, their expressions blank as they both spoke only two words to each other.

"The eye?"

"The eye."

Wrath and Donyc turned from the portal without another word and began sprinting inside, nearly knocking several mingling knights onto the ground towards their destination.

Summer glanced over at Blake when the two Death Knights had disappeared from sight into a throng of their peers and undead minions. "The eye? What eye?"

The Faunus turned her finger to the sky, watching as Summer followed its trail with her eyes to their intended destination. On the side of the Necropolis, like a massive magical tumor, a large glowing blue orb floated, it's catlike pupil gazing down upon the isles with what seemed to be vague interest.

"I can't believe I didn't notice that coming in... Guess that's what I get for being inattentive..." Summer muttered, staring up in morbid fascination at the magical construct. "So this eye?..."

"Eye of Acherus." Blake clarified, crossing her arms as she recounted what little she knew thanks to Wrath's little tour of Acherus he had given her when they had first arrived, Apparently it was a device used to spy on Azerothians back during the war with the Scourge. It's been gathering dust for the last few years according to Wrath."

"Are they sure it'll work?"

"Probably not, but they sure won't admit it to our faces."

Summer shook her her head, accompanied by a soft giggle. These Death Knights were certainly-...

"Deathlord!" The echoing voice of an approaching Ebon Ravager broke Summer from her thoughts, it's black armor gleaming in the dim light as it approached both her and Blake. "Deathlord? Where's the Deathlord?"

"Dealing with something, what's going on?" Summer asked, to which she received an audible scoff.

"Wouldn't you like to know..."

Blake opened her mouth to protest the verbal jab from the Ravager, only to hesitate as Summer's own voice snapped out like a viper emerging from it's hiding spot, pouncing on it's kill. "Remind me, what rank are you?"

"I'm a-..."

Summer intervened before the Ravager could say his piece, "Let me rephrase my question. I assume you're under the direct command of the Deathlord, correct?"

The Ravager was silent.

"And since Blake here is Wrath's significant other, wouldn't that mean she's got a bit more pull with him than the average soldier around here?" Summer asked, though it was obvious her tone was questioning less for question's sake and more for the sarcasm that towed alongside it.

"She's a guest, nothing more than that."

"A guest with far more favor in Wrath than any of you could ever hope to achieve."

The irritated Knight let out a soft curse in its native tongue. Blake could practically see the realization cross the Ravager's face that they'd been led into a verbal dead end.

"...I was sent to inform the Deathlord that the necropolis is ready for teleportation."

"There." Summer gave the Ravager a calm smile, tiling her head ever so slightly as she did so. A normally endearing gesture that took on a whole new meaning with her next statement. "Was that so hard?"

The Ebon Ravager let out another curse before turning on his heel and making his way back towards the interior, mumbling incoherently as he rejoined the crowd of Death Knights all in the midst of their preparations.

"Sorry about him." A voice echoed throughout the platform, it's guttural tone catching the two huntresses by surprise, "He's just sore cause he's not one of the lucky few headed down to the ground when we get to Atlas."

Blake and Summer turned to face the source of the noise, the latter's eyes widening with surprise as they beheld the view of a female forsaken clad in the armor of the Ebon Blade, leaning causally against the pommel of her axe. She was more well preserved than Donyc was, Summer noted, but she certainly still would have a hell of a time posing as anything more than a zombie, as there were still significant chunks of flesh absent from her limbs, especially around the joints.

"Minerva." The Faunus half whispered as the Forsaken Death Knight gave a smirk, or what would have been one if several sections of her face's flesh hadn't rotted away, with the entirety of her lower jaw bone replaced by one of rusting metal.

"How'ya doin' Blake?" The Forsaken, Minerva, asked as she pushed herself off the end of her axe and sauntered over, throwing an arm around Blake and giving her a soft poke on the shoulder with her bony finger, "Still keepin' yourself sane around all us ghouls and ghosts?"

Blake gave a small smile which was accompanied by a shrug, "Usual. Donyc still hates me."

"That good, huh? Well look at the bright side."

"Bright side?" Summer asked.

"Yeah. You're both still breathin' and no extra limbs have been sewn onto your backs!..." Minerva chuckled as she released the Faunus to spread her arms out, gesturing to the rest of the Necropolis, "Hell of an accomplishment in a place like this!..."

Summer gave an uneasy smile while Blake rolled her eyes. Minerva was certainly one of the friendlier Death Knights of the bunch, but with a friendly nature usually also came the need to joke, and with Death Knights came the macabre viewpoint they seemed to hold in every possible topic, humor amongst them.

"Oh, just so you know, I passed the Deathlord." Minerva said as she jammed a thumb back towards the interior of Acherus, "He said he wants you to try out your new armor in the upcoming battle today."

"It's ready?"

"Blacksmith finished this mornin'. You should go, I'll run ahead and tell the Deathlord I caught up to you."

Blake gave the woman a nod before Minerva turned and stalked away, the grin never leaving her face.

"It's good to see at least one of the Death Knights has a modicum of respect for you." Summer exclaimed as she watched the Knight in question disappear into the depths of the Necropolis, like all the others before her. How they could constantly live in such a foul smelling place Summer would never understand.

Blake hummed in agreement at the elder huntresses' statement.

"I-.." Before Summer could continue a loud crack echoed throughout the Necropolis, causing both huntresses to jump and turn their attention to the source of the noise. Just above them the large azure sphere that loomed against the side of Acherus suddenly began glowing a bright green hue.

Not but a few moments later another loud boom of energy shook the Necropolis as the eye suddenly began projecting a massive shield that seemed to tint the very sky and surrounding islands, enveloping all that the huntresses could see in a sickly green haze.

"I guess the eye actually functions. Lucky for us." Blake gave a soft laugh, only to hesitate when she realized there was little but silence from the other huntress. Turning to Summer the Faunus spoke up, "Summer?"

"Seems so..." Summer finally muttered as she stared up at the shield, her eyes devoid of any true excitement. It wasn't boredom though, Blake quickly noted. It was the gaze of someone who was calculating, planning. And she had a good idea as to what.

"...Are you nervous?" She asked, eliciting a near silent gasp from Summer, one that would have easily gone unnoticed by Blake if it hadn't been for her Faunus heritage.

"About what?" The elder huntress asked.

"About seeing Ruby and Yang again."

Summer said nothing, turning her gaze away from Blake and back towards the Islands scattered below the Necropolis, her expression hidden behind her cloak. Only the sounds of various Death Knights and their minions reached the ears of the huntresses, along with the occasional chanting of necromancers raising ghouls and abominations in preparation for the upcoming battle.

"...Sorry, guess I just thought you would be more jittery." Blake shrugged.

"...I'm not leaving the necropolis."

This caused nearly the exact reaction Summer had been anticipating, "What? But we just-..."

"Blake!..." Summer interrupted, her voice loud enough to cause the words to die on Blake's tongue, "I appreciate your earlier words of encouragement, I truly do, but I can't-..."

"Why not?"

Summer grew silent once more, seemingly shrinking back into her cape as Blake stares the older huntress down. It was a behavior Ruby had displayed multiple times whenever she was under scrutiny, no doubt inherited from the woman who now stood before Blake.

The feline Faunus crossed her arms, boring a hole into the white cloak covering Summer with her golden eyes, "They could use their mother right now... Probably now more than ever..."

"...I know..."

Blake stared at the unmoving reaper, her nose scrunched in irritation. Eventually though the realization that there was little she could do to attempt to convince Summer any further she already had seemed to wash over her, perfectly mirroring the subtle droop in her posture as she sighed, "...I'm going to go find Wrath."

Blake was gone before Summer could count to three, into the same mess of chaotic preparation all those before her had waded into, leaving the white cloaked woman to look on in despair.

Leaving her standing alone with her thoughts once more.

* * *

Weiss gazed into the mirror, it's seemingly flawless surface reflecting back the image of a seemingly flawless young woman.

She hated how she looked.

She wasn't supposed to hate it. A year ago she wouldn't have.

She looked like the heiress she should.

Yet under the layers of makeup and fabric she knew lay a different personality. One that was beginning to win over the one that had dominated her soul for so long.

That of a huntress. If that was even what she could be called. If that was even what she wanted to be called.

Was she a huntress? A huntress was a protector of humanity against the unending tides of the Grimm. Yet the Grimm, they were little more than a footnote now, a small drop in the sea of destruction that threatened to overtake not only Atlas, or Remnant, but the entirety of existence.

So what was it then? A soldier like her sister perhaps? That would have been a laughable thought to the Weiss of the past. Her, a soldier? Not likely.

Yet now, now as she glanced down at her palms, the tips of her fingers ever so slightly calcified from the countless hours of training she and Ravarth had gone through with various other members of the Alliance military she couldn't seem to stop away that thought. The thought that perhaps, just maybe-...

"Miss Schnee?"

Weiss turned her attention from her hands, glancing back at the entrance of her room to find a female Stormwind guard standing there, her warm ginger hair and bright smile providing a sobering juxtaposition to the sterile motif caused by the rest of the room, including Weiss herself.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Queen Wrynn has been asking for you, something about 'her usual balance in stupid lady stilts'." The guard chuckled, shaking her head. The entirety of her demote or betrayed her innocence. She was obviously new, no doubt one of the guards that had been pulled from the general city guard to serve as a temporary Royal Guard for the duration of Anduin and Ruby's visit to Atlas.

"...You're a woman, can't you help her?" Weiss asked, an unintentional edge in her tone which made the soldier hesitate for but a moment.

"...I'm afraid not Miss Schnee, I'm a soldier, not a politician. The closest I come to attire such as that is when they're on the feet of diplomats I'm assigned to protect."

Huh, so she wasn't as new as she seemed then, Weiss noted. She was still certainly more eager than most however. Perhaps she was just enthused by the idea of traveling to another world or the thought of guarding such high profile members of her faction. Whatever the case it was still a stark contrast to the rest of the atmosphere, almost unsettlingly so.

"Very well then," Weiss stood, brushing off her dress as she rose. Couldn't ever be too immaculate. Never too perfect. "Lead the way."

The soldier nodded, however just before she turned to leave Weiss called out once more.

"Wait!..."

"Yes?"

Weiss froze as she felt her face heat up due to her sudden outburst, but quickly hid it behind the poised facade she had worked to perfect over her adolescence. The facade that was quickly proving an increasing challenge to call upon. "Have you heard anything about Tho-... Commander Ravarth?"

"Oh, yes. He'll be attending the ball today, though as a King's Guard, not a guest. King Anduin and he seem to share a sort of friendship, so none of us are surprised to see him back so quickly." The soldier explained, holding the door open for the heiress as she backed out of the doorway.

"...I see," Weiss glanced back at her form in the mirror one last time for little more than a moment.

She hated it.

"Go on, lead the way."

"Of course, Miss Schnee."

* * *

"Well, I see you've certainly taken to looking the part of the others here." Summer chuckled, hiding her smile behind a pale hand, gazing at the reticent Faunus that stood before her, tightening the straps of strange purple wrist guards, the motif of a skull on each bracer.

"It's just some of Wrath's old armor. He had it reworked to fit me." Blake explained as she finalized the fit of the bracers, checking them over one last time before turning her attention to the leg guards which traveled up just past her knees where they flared out, tightening them as well before finally bringing herself to her feet, giving a few experimental kicks to the air, silently nodding in to herself.

"Why not wear the whole set? From where I'm standing it looks quite good on you." Summer inquired, to which she received a shrug.

"Too heavy. I'm just sticking with the lighter pieces," Blake explained, "I can dodge most attacks that are thrown at me."

Summer nodded in understanding. She herself usually only relied on a minimalistic breastplate and gauntlets. Armor was well and good, but neither she, nor Blake, were head on fighters. They certainly weren't fragile by any means, but a large Orc or bear Faunus would have a much easier time recovering from a staggering blow from a warhammer or other blunt attacks than either of them.

"At least ones that don't come from raptor Grimm." Wrath's voice echoed from behind as the Death Knight in question strode up behind his Faunus counterpart, poking the scar barely visible on Blake's still partially exposed stomach.

"Nuar'ashus..." (Smartass...)

Summer shook her head at the behavior the two young warriors before her were displaying before coughing loudly into her hand, drawing the attention of both Faunus and elf. "Are we ready to go?"

"More or less." Wrath said as he walked past Blake and to the guard rail, staring down at the mages below, "I just need to give the order and we can be on our way to Atlas."

"We should be on our way then," Summer replied, "There's no telling how close the Legion is to their target, best we beat them there before we're too late."

Wrath nodded in agreement, giving a small hand signal to the mages on the lower platform to begin the ritual. "You two might want to hang onto something. It's going to be a bit of a bumpy ride."

Almost immediately a bright light began to surround the Necropolis, and mere moments later the entire structure seemed to shake and shudder before it disappeared, as if pulled into a minuscule singularity, leaving only smoke and steam where the grand Necropolis once floated proudly above the isles.

* * *

"...-And I hope that through this union of powers we will come to see a prosperous and lush future, devoid of the demon plague that looms against us!" Jacque Schnee's voice boomed throughout the ballroom, somehow rising above the constant chatter that accompanied it by the host of diplomats and wealthy citizens who were packed into the immaculately decorated ballroom.

It was a pallet of colorful dresses and ties unlike any Thomas had seen before. Women wearing dresses adorned with a host of jewels and smashes that were a veritable assault on the senses and men with gaudy neckties and elaborately designed coats that seemed to posses all manner of different insignias.

It was useless, all of it.

The time everyone spent here, with their thumbs up each other's asses could have been used to such a greater benefit planning strikes against the Legion, who no doubt were using the lull from the leadership of both Remnant and Azeroth to further plan out future attacks. They could be out there stopping those plans, eliminating the piece before it even reached the board.

But no, he had to be stuck here, watching as a flock of sheep idly munched on cakes and sipped on Chardonnay, all while driveling on about asinine topics that made his ears want to bleed until all that was left in his head was a damn-...

"Thomas?"

Thomas glanced over at the source of the noise, already knowing the identity of the owner before he'd even moved, however when she came into his view he felt himself hesitate.

There stood Weiss, two glasses in hand, one filled with what Thomas could only assume was white, and in the other a small shotglass. Her dress was far different from the 'combat skirt' she usually wore, replaced by a long flowing dress that reached down to her ankles, with a split that ran up just past her knee, exposing her leg to the world. The obviously intended regal tone was only further accentuated by the sapphire gemstone that was placed directly over the manubrium section of her sternum, which glittered brightly even in the dim light of the ballroom.

"...Hi."

"Hmm." He greeted, his mind willing his eyes to move, yet they seemed frozen on the heiress.

"I'm glad you came."

"Didn't want to." He replied with his usual snark as he finally found the will to turn his gaze from her, though the edge that both he and Weiss had been expecting from his words was absent, replaced by an almost resigned sadness.

Without a word of retort Weiss held out the small shot glass towards Thomas, which he accepted just as silently, staring down at the translucent orange liquid which filled the vessel for a moment, giving it an experimental sniff.

Sulfuron Slammer.

He gave a silent huff. Of course the Schnee family would be able to afford importing something from Azeroth.

"I... Figured you wouldn't be appreciative of wine." Weiss explained, bringing her own glass of wine to her lips, taking a light sip, though it appeared the action was more a habit than it was any desire to drink. No doubt one of the hundreds of points of social etiquette the Schnee family had drilled into her as a child.

"You'd be right." He said before throwing the shot back, holding his expression steady despite the harsh burning sensation which slighter end down his throat like poison over an open wound.

Weiss seemed to hesitate for a few moments, her white gloved hand tracing the rim of her wine glass as she stared down at Thomas' waist, where a silver small-sword with an elegantly decorated revolver like barrel nestled just above the grip rested in a small makeshift scabbard.

"I see you brought Myrtenaster..."

"You forgot it at the hotel last week. I needed a low profile weapon." Thomas explained, to which Weiss only nodded slowly, her eyes trailing from her weapon to the floor.

An awkward aura soon manifested between them, the echo of laughter from one of the dozens of guests filling the room as Thomas attempted to focus on Weiss' voice. If it hadn't been for his heightened senses he would have no doubt missed her voice in the myriad of noise.

"...I'm sorry..."

"You're sorry?" He asked.

"Last week; for what I said. I'm apologize."

"...You never said anything wrong." Thomas replied, "Not directly at least..."

Weiss said nothing, though judging my how quickly she moved to the wall next to Thomas, leaning against it semi-casually, it was obvious that for her at least some of the tension had evaporated.

When she made no attempt to continue the conversation though Thomas sighed, "Weiss, you can't expect me to be able to navigate your little world of politics nearly as well as you can. I'm a solider for a reason."

"You seem to get along with me just fine..." Weiss said before noting Thomas' disbelief painted throughout his expression, "...Most of the time at least."

"You're different."

"I'm different?!..."

"Not like that. I meant you're different because I don't have to hold my tongue around you. I don't always get the best reactions but at least I can expect an honest reaction, which is more than I can say for most." Thomas admitted, "...And whether or not I want to admit it, you're probably the closest thing I have to a close friend."

It was silent for what seemed like an age. The clinking of glasses and chatter of meaningless prattle filled the air like an audible fog.

"...So are you."

"What are you on about?"

"You're probably the closest friend I've had recently."

"You've got friends Weiss," Thomas glanced over to where Ruby and Anduin, both dressed in the colors of Stormwind were happily conversing with guests, "The Queen especially."

"Ruby and Anduin have been preoccupied with the war against the demons. Ruby and I speak and socialize when we can but it's been hard the last few months. She's still my friend, I doubt that will ever change, but I'd be delusional to deny it's been challenging to even schedule the things we used to be able to do spontaneously, back before the war started."

"What about the rest of your team?" Thomas pressed, "And the other one, JNPR I think?"

The heiress let out a huff of annoyance, "Yang's made her first appearance tonight in months after traveling God knows where with Varimas, and Blake is off with Wrath and his Death Knights, she didn't even bother showing up tonight... Even if she did she's no doubt linger in the corner like you're doing now. Glaring at anyone from the SDC."

"Good point. And the other team?"

"I was never especially close with them, at least not to the extent I am with the rest of Team RWBY. They're good friends, sure, but I can't say I've ever spent time with any of them outside of our old group get-togethers." Weiss explained, "They're not exactly the easiest group to penetrate and worm your way into."

"Seem plenty nice to me."

"They're nice. Some of the nicest people on the planet, even if they are weird. But that doesn't make them close. Being nice makes you nice. Not close."

"Besides, around them I still have to be Weiss Schnee, at least to a degree..." Weiss trailed off then, her voice dying as she finally whispered out, "Around you I can be just Weiss..."

Thomas murmured in agreement, "So I guess we have to admit to being friends, still doesn't mean I'm any more comfortable here. This is a ballroom, not a battlefield."

He was able to say little else before a hand appeared in his peripheral vision. Glancing up he saw Weiss reaching out to him, a faint smile on her lips. "Come on then, let's try changing that."

"What?"

"All the other guards are mingling with the guests," She said as she gestured towards the throngs of people. "You should too."

"We just got over talking about how I-..." Thomas never noticed his voice drift off as Weiss' smile seemed to soften.

"I won't leave your side, I promise."

He stared back down at her hand for a few moments. The hand that seemed to posses no flaw.

That shot she had given him had been planned, hadn't it?

"...Fine."


	7. Chapter 7: I Might Change It All

**Okay**! **New chapter time! Not much to say this time, other than I think Kil'Jaeden going pop was awesome and that I can't wait to break things on Argus. So I won't take any more of your time! Onto responses and the chapter itself!**

 **Raging Archon: Well... I guess you could consider what happens to Weiss and Ravarth this chapter as an interaction of a sort. A very stressful sort. And bloody. Lots of blood. As to the ETC, I was actually going to make that a joke in the chapter, but then I realized that it Really clashed with the tone of the chapter, so I had to leave it on the cutting room floor, as it were, but still good idea!**

 **smartjocklv: There's a reason Summer seems a bit uninvolved so far. Her plot is what I would consider to be a slow burning one. If I put it out there right now it would clash massively with the storyline and throw the Broken Shore section outta whack. But she will be seeing Ruby in just a few chapters! Hope this answered your query.**

* * *

I Might Change It All

* * *

 _I'm not your pet, not another thing you own,_

 _I was not born guilty of your crimes._

 _Your riches and your influence can't hold me anymore,_

 _I won't be possessed,_

 _Burdened by your royal test,_

 _I will not surrender,_

 _This life is mine!_

* * *

"Dayum... You four look like you've been through hell."

Those were the first words out of Yang Xiao Long's mouth when the N and R of Team JNPR strolled into the Schnee Ball Room, both of them haphazardly dressed in their old prom attire back from their first year in Beacon. Not that she had much room to complain about people's dress choices. The only reason she was in one was because she'd ended up borrowing a dress from one of the noble women after a small tiny little 'My Sister's The Queen' speech.

"You don't know the half of it." Ren sighed, massaging the side of the temple in an apparent attempt to stave off the migraine that was no doubt hitting him.

"What happened?" Varimas, who was dressed in a formal red and gold robe that frankly assaulted the senses, asked.

"We were sent out to recover the Tear of Elune..." The reply came, though it was unusually quiet, even from one as monotone as Ren. There were large bags under his eyes, and it appeared as if he hadn't eaten a proper meal in days.

"Were you able to recover it then?" The Sin'Dorei inquired, receiving a small nod from the quiet young man.

"Yes, yes we were able to recover the Tear, eventually..."

"Then what's-..."

"Not everyone walked out of that forest alive..." A third voice cut in, though it was just as lifeless as Ren's.

Varimas quietly glanced over to see Pyrrha leaning against Jaune, who in turn was leaning against a wall, his eyes hidden by his mane of blonde hair which was beginning to slowly grow out.

"The Night Elves and their allies lost a lot..." Pyrrha muttered, her listless gaze barely even locked on Yang and Varimas, "...Some more than others..."

Once Pyrrha glanced back to Jaune once more and Yang was confident she wouldn't be turning around once more she gently nudged Varimas' side, "Never thought I'd see it with my own eyes."

"What?"

"P-Money and Vomit Boy."

"What about them?"

"I just never thought I'd see this." Yang admitted with a sigh, cupping her face in her hands, "...And it's the one time I don't have my scroll on me too... Damn you Irony Gods!..."

"Right..." Varimas muttered, turning back to Ren. "At any rate... Why show up here? From the way you're all carrying yourselves I doubt it's a vacation."

"We have a new mission for now." Ten explained, glancing over to the crowd of nobles and bureaucrats milling about the ballroom floor, "Apparently the Legion's going to try their luck at attacking the SDC while Anduin is negotiating with them. That's why we're here."

"Oh? Who gave you this mission."

"Illidari." The ninja responded simply, "They stopped us as we were crossing the main gates into Stormwind. Whisked us here before we could even think about complaining."

"Hold up, did they happen to mention who was leading them?" Yang asked as she finally broke her gaze from Jaune and Pyrrha, stepping forward.

"No, why?"

"Cuz a demon we took out was telling us about some new 'champion' that they got." She explained.

"And you think they may be leading the attack?" Ren asked, a curious eyebrow raised.

"Chances are, yeah."

"What better way to introduce a new leader of your faction than a mass attack led by them?" Varimas said with a sigh. He'd seen a tactic like this used more than once, and the results were never pretty. If their attack proved to be even slightly successful then one or both factions would end up crippled right out of the gate.

"They're betting on our fear of the unknown." Pyrrha muttered as she pulled herself away from Jaune, her own emerald eyes scanning the throngs of guests, "They may want us to overestimate their forces and send everything they have to defend against what may prove to be little more than a small group."

"Or they're placing their bets on us underestimating them..." Ren added.

"It's a big target," Jaune finally spoke up, pushing himself off of the wall, to stand beside his partner, "You think they're going to try to wipe the board clean, don't you?"

"Yes, quite possibly..."

"Well should we even be standing here talking about this then?" Yang inquired, giving a small shrug, "Wouldn't it just be safer to evacuate the more important figures of Remnant and Azeroth before the Legion even gets here?"

"No, I still have Ash-..."

"No offense Jaune," Varimas interrupted with a raised hand, silencing the learning paladin before he could get the suggestion off the ground, "But you only just got Ashbringer a few short months ago."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean-..."

"It means that you don't know how to properly wield it yet. That sword has a way of... Those who use it improperly tend to find themselves in less than ideal situations..." He continued, watching as Jaune's face fell, "Don't rely on it to save the day for you all the time, or you'll quickly find yourself on the ever growing list of wielders who have died with that sword in their hands."

"He's right Jaune-Jaune." Nora exclaimed loudly enough for several attendees to glance over at the small group, "You should wait, that way they won't know what hit them when you master it!"

"Indoor voices Nora!..." Ren cut in, causing said noise-cannon to clamp her hands over her mouth dramatically.

"Oop, sorry!..." She loudly whispered, snickering as she did so.

As Ren continued to scold Nora for her sudden outburst Varimas let out a soft sigh, letting the air slowly escape his lungs as he turned his gaze up to the ceiling, closing his eyes as he spoke, "Well I suppose if we discount running as an option, how many-..."

A loud crash echoing throughout the room ceased Varimas' train of thought as the group quickly turned their attention to the source of the noise.

"What?! Already?!..." Yang asked, felfire sparking on her fingertips.

"Damn it all... Jaune! You and Pyrrha try to locate the King and Queen and-..." Varimas trailed off upon noticing that not only had Team JNPR completely ignored his words, but even Yang had tuned him out in favor of staring wide eyed at the center of the ballroom, "What?!"

Instead of the demonic presence that he had been expecting, Varimas was instead greeted by the sight of Jacque Schnee yanking Weiss away from Thomas by her arm, a broken wine glass on the floor and a red mark on Weiss' cheek, with Ruby and Anduin only feet away, both watching in disgust.

"Wait, what?-..."

That was all that could be said before his vision was filled with torrents of Fel Green.

* * *

"Honestly? He really tried that? That just seems like it was a bit foolhardy from the start." Weiss muttered as she and a plump elderly woman in a gaudy yellow dress conversed quietly in the center of the room.

"It was dear, it was, but you know what they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained!..." The woman replied with a laugh before adopting a sly smirk that accompanied an exaggerated dismissive wave, "You know my husband though, just Has to snap up these obscure opportunities whenever he can!"

Thomas wanted to tear his eyes out.

He wanted to tear his damn eyes out.

This was not what he had in mind when Weiss said 'mingling'. Mingling was making small talk about the weather or art or some other benign tripe. Mingling was meeting a new person, speaking to them for a few minutes and moving on.

And so when Weiss said 'mingling' earlier, he had expected mingling!

Instead though he was forced to endure a barrage of political and economic jargon that made his head spin like a top. How in the world Weiss could keep up, let alone respond, was completely and utterly beyond him.

"Are you alright?"

Weiss' voice snapped Thomas from his thoughts and into the gaze of the concerned looking heiress, the woman she'd been talking to long gone, presumably off in search of her husband or for more alcohol.

And judging by how much she talked he had a suspect feeling both would be in the same place.

"Wish I could say yes, but I don't understand a damn thing you're saying." He finally muttered with a shake of the head.

Weiss gave a small smile, tracing the rim of her wineglass with her gloved hand, "We were discussing the economical implications of increased fire dust sales due to the war with the Legion, and the possible consequences it may present in both the long and short terms for the supply and demand chains, which would in turn cause possible inflation regarding the fire crystals to the general consumer."

"...What?..."

Weiss very nearly giggled at the blunt response, a far cry from even months before when she would have just insulted him for such a reaction, "We think the prices of dust for civilians may go up for a while, since most of it is currently going towards the war."

"Could just say that..."

"I could." Weiss said simply, a sly smile on her face.

That smile was short lived however as a new voice echoed its way into their conversation like a hot knife into flesh.

"Weiss!"

Thomas suppressed a groan. The last time he had heard that voice he had ended up nearly giving Anduin a heart attack. Turning to face the voice he attempted to suppress a second groan threatening to escape from his throat at the sight of an approaching Jacque Schnee.

"Weiss, you'll be going on in an hour, I expect you to-..." Jacque trailed off as he seemed to finally noticed the man standing beside his daughter, glaring holes into his forehead, "Ah, you again... Still following my daughter around like a lost dog I see..."

"Careful, this dog bites..."

"Charming... Do keep this in the back of your mind; you are here solely due to the goodwill you hold with King Anduin. If this whole affair weren't in an effort to secure a treaty with your Alliance I would have you thrown out of here." Jacque explained before glancing off to the side, not so subtly whispering, "Preferably out of the third story window..."

"Father, please..."

"Please what, dear?" Jacque spat, snapping his attention to his daughter, who seemed to flinch at his harsh tone, though after a moment she seemed to recover, her face growing hard.

"Don't insult him, he hasn't done anything provoke you tonight."

"No, tonight he hasn't." Jacque "Though I feel more than justified in my actions considering the comments made during our last little skirmish. Or don't you remember what was said regarding you and your sister?..."

"He didn't mean what he said-..."

"Didn't he now?"

"You were the one who goaded him into that confrontation either way!..." Weiss exclaimed loudly, causing several guests to glance in her direction, some with looks of mild shock on their faces, "You were the one who forced our family name down his throat!..."

"Of course I did!" Jacque replied as he jabbed a gangly finger in Thoams' direction, "He was speaking to you as if you were some common soldier!"

"I _Am_ a soldier!" Weiss spat as she took a step forwards, leering at her father.

"You're the heiress to the largest dust company in the world!"

"And look what that got me!" Weiss' arm flew forwards, gesturing to the increasing number of concerned and bemused guests that were beginning to surround the father and daughter like a flock of geese crowding around bread crumbs.

Of course to them that's all this was, Thomas thought as he himself watched the two argue. Gossip, bread crumbs. Same thing to these people.

"It got you the wine in your hand, the dress you wear, and the house we stand in!" Jacque's voice was beginning to grow into a yell, no doubt it's full strength only held back by the years of dealing with stressful situations endured by the aging man.

"And a father who sees his children as assets!"

"That's absurd!..."

"Really?! Then tell me, father, when was the last time you and I did anything together?!..." Weiss paused for a moment to revel in the look of genuine confusion on her father's face before she resumed her verbal offensive, "When was the last time you bothered to learn what interests or desires I had past those that involved the SDC?! When was the last time you even told me you were proud of me?!..."

"Weiss, stop this at once, you're making a scene!..." Jacque growled, an ounce of fire in his voice snuffed out.

"Perhaps I _Want_ to make a scene!"

"Continue to display this childish behavior and we'll have a problem on our hands!..." Jacque hissed as he took a step towards Weiss, only to halt when the sound of a sword being drawn reached his eardrums.

"We already have one..." Thomas' murmur echoed above the sound of Myrtenaster being half drawn from its scabbard.

"Excuse me..." A voice echoed above the chatter of the surrounding guests, silencing several as they began to part to the sides.

When the crowds finally finished parting, the faces of a none to pleased King and Queen Wrynn were revealed, standing before them.

"Is there a problem here?" Anduin asked, the edge in his voice clear as day.

"Weiss? What's going on?" Ruby added, her own expression not one of annoyance like her husbands, but one of concern.

Weiss said nothing in response to either query.

"Everything is under control," Jacque spoke up, flashing a smile at the royals before gesturing to Weiss, "My daughter appears to have just gone a bit too long without a reminder as to her place within this family."

"...Burn in hell..."

For the next few moments one would have easily been able to bear their own heartbeat in that ballroom.

Not a word was spoken by those who surrounded the father and daughter. Not one guest or guard dared open their mouth.

All except for Thomas, who smirked as recognized the very phrase he'd used on Winter only a week prior.

He watched with perverse satisfaction as Jacque's face began to visibly redden in anger. Or perhaps embarrassment. Hopefully both.

"Excuse you?! Do you find that sort of language acceptable now?!"

Weiss gave no retort to her fathers words, merely stealing a glance in Thomas' direction, returning his smirk.

"I've just about had it up to here with you! Up to your room this instant! And don't think we won't be having quite a long discussion later regarding the state of your future inheritance if this behavior is not flipped on its head immediately!"

Weiss stood stoic, not budging.

"...GO!"

"...I'm through..."

"...What is _That_ supposed to mean young lady?..." Jacque finally uttered after a few moments of stunned silence, his hands balled so tightly into fists they were beginning to turn white.

"I'm not your property! You don't own me!" Weiss exclaimed loudly as she whipped around to face her father once more.

"As long as you hold a financial lifeline to this family I do!..."

"Then I suppose it's time to change that, isn't it?..."

Weiss turned to Thomas, who raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Commander Bloodclaw of the Army of the Grand Alliance, I, Weiss Schnee, formally request a full time position within the armies of the Alliance under the command of yoursel-... _Ah_!..." Weiss was cut off as she felt her father's hand impact against her cheek.

Her wine glass fell to the floor, the sound of glass shattering accompanied by a hornet's nest of murmuring by surrounding guests, as he seized her by the arm and began dragging her away, ignoring her pained cries.

Thomas let out a loud growl as he began to stalk towards the two, his eyes flashing yellow as his nails ever so slightly began to take on a more vicious appearance.

"Thomas, no, not again!" Anduin snapped, causing both Thomas to falter and Jacque to turn to face the two, a stern expression painted upon his face.

"If you even think of threatening me-..."

"Threaten you?" Thomas asked as he continued on his path towards them once more, "I'm three seconds away from tearing your goddamn head off!"

Jacque said nothing as he merely began to yank Weiss away yet again.

"You think I won't?-..." Thomas felt his breath escape him as a loud bang erupted through the ballroom, shards of rock flying past his face.

Before anyone could think to do anything another one of the pillars lining the room exploded in a shower of fel green, shrapnel lodging itself into more than one unfortunate partygoer.

He saw them all.

The flashing images of Weiss being dragged away by her arm. The crowds of people shifting this way and that as they attempted to find their bearings. And the host of guards and guests hiding small fel enchanted daggers in their grasps, approaching not only Anduin and Ruby, but also Jacque and Weiss.

"Weiss... _WEISS_!..."

* * *

"Milly, you need to eat." Thomas directed as he stared down upon the frail form of his sickly young sister sitting upright in her bed, nursing a small wolf doll, using a small rag to clean the dirt off the surface of its artificial fur.

"I will, I will! Just lemmie clean up Ravarth!..." She muttered, giving her older brother a small pout.

Thomas chuckled, "You really love him, don't you?"

"He's the best!..." She insisted, putting what little strength she possessed in her voice, "He might be a wolf man, but he'll always protect me, no matter what."

"You've already got me to protect you silly."

"Well..." She glanced down at the plush doll, scratching it behind it's ears, "Maybe he should protect both of us."

"Ravarth might be a wolf man, but that doesn't mean he can protect everyone Milly." Thomas explained as he sat on the side of her bed, which was really no more than an old mattress, reaching over to place a hand on her knee, only to flinch back when the young girl seemed to find her voice once more.

"Well he can try!"

"Yeah..." Thomas smiled, "I'm sure he will."

Silence seemed to dominate the small room for a moment, the only sound reaching either siblings ear the constant patter of raindrops impacting softly against the tile roof of their shelter like a symphony from nature.

"Thomas?" Milly finally asked.

"Hmm?"

"If Ravarth was real, do you think he would save us from them?... The other wolf men?..."

Thomas cradled his bandaged arm, hidden under the sleeve of his coat coat, which itself was caked in all manner of mud and muck. "I'm not sure, there's a lot of them..."

"Yeah, so?"

"You think he'd take on all the other wolf men himself?"

"I think he would..." Milly confirmed with a nod, "I think he'd protect us, no matter what..."

Thomas smiles and gave Milly a gentle pat on the head. "Well until he shows up, I'll just be your Ravarth, alright?"

"You really think he's out there?" Milly asked, her voice filled with fascination.

"Yeah, I'll bet you he's out there, fighting the wolf men right now. He's probably saving a girl just like you."

"You promise? You gotta promise me he's out there!..."

"...Yes. I promise..."

* * *

 _I promise._

Ravarth never felt himself shifting.

He felt only the wind on his fur as he leapt up, jumping from table to table as he bore down on the assassin now only feet away from Weiss and Jacque, ignoring the panicked screams of patrons echoing around him.

"What is that thing?!"

"It's an Alpha Beowolf! Someone put it down, quickly!" Another guest yelled as she watched the Worgen rip into the disguised demon, it's masquerade fading away as it died, revealing its true corpse to the world.

Ravarth leapt from the now mauled demon to the floor near the King, his lupine eyes narrowing as a young guard ran up, giving the Worgen a salute.

"Commander Ravarth! We-..." The soldier was cut off as Ravarth suddenly slammed his claws against the man's armor, sending him flying back into the crowd, collaterally knocking over several guests in the process.

"Ravarth! What's gotten into-..." Anduin was cut off as he jumped back, avoiding a swipe from the Worgen.

Several guards who'd had the sense to keep their distance from the Worgen quickly lined up all around Anduin and Ruby, defending them not only from the demons, but the Worgen who now attempted to maul whatever would drew close.

"He's gone feral!" One of the guards yelled at the confused partygoers, "He's gone feral, don't get near him!"

Another loud crash echoed across the room.

Ruby quickly turned to face the source, expecting a new threat, only to find Weiss and her father struggling, the heiress desperately attempting to pry herself from her father's grasp.

"If you think I'm going to-..."

"I told you to let me _Go_!"

"Weiss! What do you think-..." Jacque was cut off as a blast of icy energy solidified his feet onto the floor as the guests who'd somehow become distracted enough to watch the family quarrel let out a gasp of horror.

Weiss however seemed to possess little hesitation as she pulled herself away from her enraged father, stomping towards Ravarth, who had just recently finished removing the throat of a disguised assassin with the gaul to attempt a strike.

"Weiss, what're you doing?..." Ruby whispered before her eyes shot wide open, "NO, WEISS STOP!"

Ravarth seemed to notice the sudden shriek from the queen, glancing up at Weiss, giving off a low growl, however this did nothing to slow her pace.

Just as she reached him she saw his claws fly towards her face.

At the last moment, just as the Worgen's claws were to impact her, she ducked, watching as the claws hit the demonic saboteur they were intended for before grasping the cold metal hilt of her blade, still sheathed at Ravarth's side.

She whirled around Ravarth, drawing the blade as she did, giving her enough momentum to cleave through the chest of a fel blade wielding guard, sending him to the ground without even a cry of protest.

Blood splattered upon her dress.

The old Weiss would have stopped in her tracks at this very moment. The old Weiss would have convulsed in horror upon seeing the slimy green fel blood caked upon her dress. The old Weiss would have dropped her weapon and cried out in protest as she desperately attempted to wipe off the blood.

She felt her lips tug upwards as she ripped her sword from another demon's torso, a fresh spray of the glowing green liquid impacting against her dress.

Thank Dust the old Weiss wasn't here.

"Don't turn your back on anyone you don't recognize!" Pyrrha, who held Corcea Mors and Akoúo̱ in front of her as she stood atop a table, ordered to the various guests.

Several took the spartan's words to heart, wasting no time in making a quick exit from the party, while others grabbed trays and knives in a laughable attempt to defend themselves.

However many of those same guests faltered themselves at the sound of a pained scream echoing throughout the ballroom.

Pyrrha turned to face the source of the noise, letting out a small curse when she saw Jacque fighting off what seemed to be a crazed young man, a glowing green dagger sticking out of the patriarch Schnee's arm.

It seemed as if the fighting would drag on forever but eventually the guards and those armed in the party dispatched most of the demonic saboteurs. However, just as it seemed as if the defenders were finally gaining an upper hand on the attackers, Weiss felt a small hand pressing against her side.

When she glanced down she felt her stomach drop at the sight of one of the party goers staring back up at her with a sadistic smile, a knife held up in the air, ready to come down upon the heiress.

Before it could make contact though Weiss felt her entire body shift to the side as she was yanked into the embrace of a Worgen, the sound of blade sinking into flesh reaching her ears as clear as day, despite the surrounding fighting.

"Rav?-..." Weiss felt her heart stop as a sudden weight shifted into her shoulders, forcing her to prop it up in order to stay on her feet.

However that weight became too much within a matter of moments, forcing her to drop the now unconscious Worgen to the floor, where the dagger sticking out of the side of his chest was clearly visible.

Her entire being seemed to freeze at that moment.

Though she commanded her arms to move, for her voice to call out, all she could do was stare. Stare at the twitching form of her friend, laying limply in the middle of the ballroom, like some old ragdoll that had been carelessly discarded.

A weak groan from the other side of the room commanded her to eyes to focus in on the noise for but a moment, only for the fencer to realize it was her father, causing her to snap her attention back almost immediately.

Finally, as she felt the rough grasp of two guards on her arms dragging her away from the fallen Worgen, her voice was found, culminating itself in one ear piercing shriek.

On the other side of the room, Ruby felt herself cringe as she watched two armored guards dragging Weiss from Ravarth, both desperately attempting to hold onto the flailing girl as they made their way into the wall of shields and tables that had been thrown up as a sort of impromptu barrier.

She began making her way over to the heiress, intent on calming her down, only to stop in her tracks when she heard it.

When she heard her voice.

"Rose..."

Ruby felt her heart skip a beat.

"Come out little Rose!... I know you're in there..." The voice called out once again, it's sultry tone betraying the underlying edge it possessed.

"Was that?..." Ruby felt her stomach lurch as the image of her raven haired rival took form within her minds eye, her sadistic smile matching the voice which tickled her eardrums.

"No, there's no way. You practically frappéd her vocal chords sis!" Yang, who was helping prop up one of the many tables with a handful of guards, assured with a nervous smile.

Laughter echoed from outside, filling the halls with its haunting melody.

"Sure sounds healthy to me." Varimas muttered as he turned to look out of the window, only to take a step back as he let out a sigh, "Oh... That, _that_ isn't good..."

Ruby glanced out of the same window, to the courtyard, only to freeze at the sight of a massive infernal, flanked by four large fel-guards marching upon the mansion.

Not wasting another second, the Reaper leapt towards the window without a word, using her semblance to smash through the wood and glass as if it were air, landing before the demons as the remainder of the guards, along with what remained of her old friend group, rushed out to stand beside her, all faces present twisted in shock.

" _Ah_... There you are... And just as I was about to pry the information from my little _friend_ here..."

There she stood proudly. Perched atop the massive infernal with a white haired boy locked in her arms, a dagger pressed up against his throat. The socket which once held her missing eye glowed with fel green energy. The same glow, albeit more faint, that encompassed her entire being.

Ruby unlatched Crescent Rose from her back, shifting it into it's scythe form as she glared up at the woman, uttering her name only once, as if cursing her very existence.

"Cinder..."


	8. Chapter 8: All That Ever Mattered

All That Ever Mattered

* * *

 **NO, NO. I'M NOT DEAD, JUST AN IDIOT. So for those of you who don't already know, around July of this year I came down with a lovely case of tendonitis. From what you may ask? Computer overuse? No. Repetitive tasks like drawing or writing? Nay. It was because I wasn't stretching before I practiced HEMA... And so the act of swinging a large metal bar for several hours 3 times a week eventually caused by forearms to tensen up so much it actually gave me tendonitis. Unfortunately it meant I couldn't do anything with a computer or tablet. Thankfully though two of my guildies who know I write a lot actually bought me a voice program, and add that to the fact I'm almost done healing, and you get a new chapter FINALLY...**

 **Oh, and one last thing before the chapter starts. During my break someone was kind enough to actually commission not one but Two separate artists to make artwork of this story! While I can't leave direct links to the drawings, I can say they were made by deviantart artists Amenoosa and Maru-chan. So seriously, thanks again! It means a lot!**

* * *

 _"It doesn't matter how, the petals scatter now,_

 _Every nightmare just discloses,_

 _It's your blood that's Red like Roses..." - Red like Roses Part II_

* * *

Ravarth knew pain.

He had known pain for the better part of a decade. He had seen pain and suffering take a hundred different forms, each one more brutal than the last. He had been cut by knives, shot by arrows, even had a broken bone or two. So he felt he had quite a bit of experience to look back upon his opinions.

And his expert opinion was that he was most certainly in pain.

It had all been a blur, after that saboteur had made their move against Weiss.

He remembered standing in front of the blow. He remembered the pressure of the blow, but not it's sting.

And after that? Nothing.

All he could feel now was the painful throbbing of the wound in his stomach as he stared up at the immaculately decorated ceiling of the ballroom, his ragged breathing only accentuating the agony.

"So this is it?... This is what the Alliance has to offer us?... Beasts?..."

Ravarth glanced to the side, his jaw clamped shut as the perversely smug expression which Jacque Schnee wore.

Jacque let out a sigh at the Worgen's glare, if the pained expression Ravarth was making could even be called that, "You make the Faunus seem as if they're near the pinnacle of genetics. And that's something I never thought I would say, let me assure you..."

"If you think saving a Schnee will somehow gain you recognition from beyond the grave then-..."

"Still on the damn name?..." Ravarth interrupted, turning his head to the side to spit out a glob of blood and spit before continuing, "You're a stubborn bastard, y'know that?..."

Jacque let out a huff, "Tssk..."

"You get it now?... You get why I asked you what it was like to lose a loved one?..." Ravarth asked, "Because it's _hell_... It's hell knowing you could have done something, anything, differently... That you could have made the tiniest difference that would have saved their life... That would've kept'm in this world..."

"No, I don't understand it, and I won't have to learn, because you were foolish enough to take the blow for her."

"Aye, I was. And I did..." The Worgen sighed, letting a smug smile creep onto his face, eliciting a snort from the white haired man who towered over him.

"Pathetic. All that boasting and strutting about as if you were some sort of champion, yet you fall due to a lazy assassination attempt committed against my daughter and I..."

"That I have... Just think about this though..." Ravarth interrupted, "She had someone willing to take that blow for her..."

Jacque was silent for a few seconds, his lip pressed in a tight line, "...Just what are you implying mutt?"

"For everything you have, for all the people you've brought over or awed with financial and social power in your miserable little life, not one of them even thought about taking that wound on your arm for you..."

"I'm not the one who lays dying from a wound that wasn't even meant for him..."

Ravarth let out a huff that seemed more like a strangled laugh than anything malicious, "Aye, you're right... But if you think I'd take back what I did, then you're the real fool."

"I will not be lectured by an animal who-..."

"Tell me something... If it had only been Weiss that had been attacked, would you have jumped to save her?... Would you have taken that blow for your daughter?..."

Jacque froze, watching as the Worgen's unblinking eyes stared up at him, and it seemed, for the first time in far too long, Jacque hesitated. "...I-..."

"Or would you have watched, and later called it an 'unavoidable tragedy'?..."

Not a word escaped Jacque's mouth.

"You may see her as an asset... A piece on the board that can be sacrificed in protection of the king-..." Ravarth was cut off as a series of coughs wracked his body, "...But she's Weiss to me... She's more important than you could ever be..."

Jacque glared down at Ravarth as the Worgen's eyes drifted shut.

"She's irreplaceable..."

The white haired man watched as the Worgen's breathing settled to a soft yet steady pace before he let out an uncharacteristic growl, spitting on the Worgen's cheek before turning and storming out of the room.

"Nothing's irreplaceable to me."

* * *

Ruby could think of a hundred different places she would rather be standing.

She would even take the peak of an active volcano. In battle with a hundred foes surrounding her. A hundred foes. She would much rather that instead of the foe who stood before her, with Weiss' younger brother Whitely in her grasp. "Why are you here?!..."

"Why am I hear?... For you, of course..." Cinder's normally silky smooth voice was distorted, gravely and demonic. This was far from the Cinder that she had dealt with atop Beacon Tower, "Though, I must admit, I'm surprised to see you've come so far little Rose."

"Yeah, a lot can happen behind your back when you've been rotting in a cell for a few years bitch!" Yang called out, shooting the dark haired woman a rude gesture.

"Yes... I've been meaning to thank you all so dearly for that." Cinder sneered, her hand unconsciously traveling up to her face where a burn scar had made it's, likely permanent, home.

"Thank us?" Ruby asked, her grip on Crescent Rose tightening.

"Yes, in my defeat I came to realize something..." Cinder muttered, her hand falling back to Whitely's chest, pressing his small frame against her own. "Trickery and subterfuge, while certainly retaining its benefits, can only get you so far at the end of the day..."

As she spoke the knife she held drew ever closer to the neck of the boy who she held in her grasp, his terrified expression only growing more pronounced as he felt the tip of the blade begin to slice into his skin.

"Eventually, one must not settle for the safety of the shadows... Power must be seized!..."

The the large axe wielding either side of the infernal stand at attention

"And I have certainly seized it..."

"It's not too late to stop this Cinder!" Ruby tried, taking a tentative step towards the infernal atop which Cinder stood, "Those guys, they aren't your allies! They'll just-..."

" _Silence_!..."

"But Cin-..." A blast of fire rocketed towards Ruby, forcing her to dodge, the ground where she once stood erupting into an inferno of green fire.

"As I said..." The black haired woman hissed, particles of glowing fel energy still falling from her outstretched hand, "You showed me the truth that day, years ago on Beacon Tower, and while my plans then may have failed, and I now live permanently scarred, I feel I still owe you some small sense of gratitude..."

Ruby watched as Cinder's arm suddenly around Weiss' brother once more.

"Now I shall begin thanking you, by returning the favor..." Cinder's right hand, which held the blade, suddenly twisted, "...In full."

The sickening echo of blade tearing flesh was the only thing that reached Ruby's ears as she watched it. Watched as Cinder's blade ripped through the boy's larynx, blood immediately gushing out onto her hand as Whitely's body began convulsing violently, each and every muscle instinctively fighting with all that it had as tears poured from his eyes. Despite this though, Cinder's grip did not loosen until her blade finally sliced it's way to the other side of the boy's throat, falling from her hand and onto the blood soaked ground.

"While I was in that cell, all I could think of was the pain I suffered at your hand..." Cinder's voice rose over the dull thud of Whitley's body hitting the surface of the Infernal like a lifeless ragdoll, his arms and legs twitching as the last vestiges of life ebbed away, "All I dreamt of was a chance to finally take my revenge on you..."

Ruby watched with gritted teeth as Cinder slammed her foot against Whitley's head.

"...And now? That chance has finally come... And I intend to take it!"

The group of soldiers th at had previously been stunned by the arrival of Acherus suddenly seemed to regain their focus at the words of the felmancer, letting out battle cries as they began to charge the infernal, only to be cleaved through without a thought by the two large axe wielding demonic guards either side of the massive construct.

Their dying screams echoed throughout the courtyard as Yang and Pyrrha both began to fire upon the infernal, only for their attacks to stop short thanks to a wall of Cinder's felfire.

A rush of wind caught the felmancer's attention as she gazed down at the battle below her, glancing to the side with just barely enough time to spare to notice a round from crescent rose sailing her way. Bringing her hand up, a new wall of energy enveloped her as the bullet reached her, stopping just short of her forehead before the fire melted the bullet, leaving only splatters of quickly cooling metal to spray past the woman harmlessly.

As soon as the wall fell Cinder went on the offensive, blasting the young Reaper as she ran past the front of the Infernal, sending her crumpled form tumbling back until it came to a halt, the back of the Reaper's head slamming against the hard pavement.

It seemed to have little effect however as Ruby quickly staggered to her feet, converting her weapon to its sniper mode, taking several potshots at Cinder, who blocked each one with ease.

"When has that ever worked?" She asked with a sneer.

Before Ruby could think to react, she and the others in attendance felt their heads pound as an earsplitting booming sound echoed throughout the courtyard, a massive gust of wind sending several people to their knees as a dark shadow eclipsed against the star lit skies.

Ruby took a moment, risking an ever so slight glance away from Cinder to see the imposing silhouette of Acherus looming in the background, it's magical eyes billowing with magical energy.

"Hmm?... Reinforcements of yours Rose?" Cinder chuckled, gazing up at the floating fortress, her fingers dripping with the blood of the boy who lay dead at her feet, "Be careful with them. I've heard they aren't the best at playing nice."

Ruby's concentration snapped back to Cinder as she took in a small breath, not wanting to take her eyes away from the felmancer for any longer than she had to. She had already proven herself to still be both an enemy and a threat, and Ruby would be damned if she would let her try to take the lives of one of her friends again.

"Not that it will help..." Cinder sighed blissfully, a content smile appearing on her twisted face, "Their numbers are lacking... No doubt tangled up in the Nighthold, desperately attempting to delay the final summoning of the Master to the mortal plane through the conduit of the fallen Hunter..."

"The master?" Ruby asked.

"Sargeras..." Anduin muttered from somewhere behind her.

"And the hunter?" She pushed.

"Your kind knew him as Illidan Stormrage. So called 'ruler' of the remains of the backwater planet of Draenor..." Cinder explained, her voice dripping with venom, "But enough of that... Now... Drop to your knees and beg for your lives, and perhaps I may-..."

"You know... All you do is talk... And all its ever gotten you is a missing eye and a fuckin' ugly face!" Yang screamed from the crowd, firing a slug round from Ember Celica towards Cinder.

"You may just be right..." Cinder raised her arm, still drenched red in Whitely's blood, deflecting the slug just as easily as she had deflected Crescent Rose's attack, "Perhaps the time for talking is done!"

Cinder snapped her gaze down, firing a bolt of fel energy towards Ruby, who brought Crescent Rose up in front of her in a desperate attempt at a block.

"Ruby!" A cry echoed through the courtyard, and before anyone could think to stop him, Anduin leapt forwards, firing a bolt of holy energy towards Cinder's own attack, blasting both fel and light from the sky.

Seeing this, Cinder let out an unrestrained cackle, her already gravelly voice growing deeper.

Before any others could think to join Anduin in his reckless advance, Cinder brought her hands up, conjuring a ring of fel magic around she and the Stormwind leaders, cutting off the rest of the group from the two.

"And the King joins his Queen! Excellent! _Excellent_! Your courage does you justice _boy_!" Cinder yelled, throwing another blast towards the two monarchs.

Anduin brought his hands up with a grunt of exertion, forming a shield around he and Ruby which took the blast of the fel bolt, though clearly not without significant trouble if the large cracks which almost immediately formed were anything to go off of.

Almost immediately Cinder sent another bolt towards the shield, driving Anduin to his knees as he focused all of his energy into keeping the shield corporeal, though despite the effort, it soon began to fall apart, small sections of the shield falling to the ground like shattering glass.

"And with that..." Cinder muttered as once of her demons, a massive Felguard wielding an axe as large as a tree stepped towards the king and queen, "I believe I have checkmate..."

* * *

" _They could use their mother right now... Probably more than ever..._ "

Those words echoed like the bells of a church in her head as she stared down at the massive axe wielding demon which moved up seemingly upon Cinder's silent command towards Ruby and Anduin.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion.

She saw the terrified face of her youngest and only true born daughter as a demon ten times her size approached her with killing intent.

She saw the few Stormwind and Atlas soldiers that had attended the ball desperately attempting to break through the fel barrier which surrounded the King and Queen.

And she saw her step-daughter, clawing and punching relentlessly, yelling and screaming as she fought her way towards the barrier through the throngs of both human and demon.

She felt her heart tighten. They would never be able to break through. The demon's axe would fall. Her daughter would die. And she-...

And she-...

And she-...

Never even felt herself jump.

* * *

"And with that, I believe I have checkmate... May you burn in the fires of whatever hell awaits us all..." Cinder said with a raised hand, giving the Reaper one last twisted grin before letting her hand drop, "Goodbye Rose!"

The demon which stood above Ruby and Anduin, without a moment's hesitation, pulled his axe above his head, letting it hang in the air, as if attempting to block out the light of the stars with it's massive blade, before pushing the axe down.

She wanted to look. She wanted to see the axe coming, to somehow escape this living nightmare.

But no. If either she or Anduin left the latter's shield they would no doubt immediately be assailed by both Cinder and her demonic horde. Even her speed would do little to assist her. They had been boxed in.

There truly was no escape. Not this time.

Ruby slowly closed her eyes, a small smile on her face. She would not be afraid. She would accept whatever was to come. She and Anduin would join Varian amongst the fallen nobles of Stormwind.

And then, perhaps, she would finally be able to meet her once more...

. . .

And yet, just as the feeling of acceptance finally wormed its way into her heart, the young queen felt no blow strike her down. No gargantuan axe tearing she and Anduin asunder.

Only the sound of something slamming upon the ground, as if landing from the heavens.

And as her eyes open she felt the breath escape from her lungs.

Small, almost invisible white petals had appeared upon the blade of the demon's axe, their presence seemingly immobilizing the weapon, as evidenced by the demon's loud grunts of exertion as he tried in vain to slam the axe upon Stormwind's leaders.

Then, as if they seemed to posses a conscious of their own, several of the flower petals fell from the axe, suddenly shooting forwards towards the demon, opening its neck without resistance, disappearing under the torrent of green blood which poured from the dying demon's wound as it fell to the ground, clutching at it's neck.

Somewhere far behind Ruby, Yang let out a stifled scream, it's shrill tone drowning out the hushed whispers of the rest of those who watched on in stunned fascination.

Jaune's muddled voice echoed from somewhere far behind her as Yang's voice died down. Pyrrha's voice seemed to answer Jaune's, though it was nearly impossible for Ruby to hear over another shriek of disbelief from her older sister who had long since fallen to her knees.

She couldn't focus on that though. She would never be able to focus on that, or any of the other million blips of chaos that seemed to surround she and Anduin.

Her focus was on her. Only her.

The lithe yet none the less undeniably imposing figure of the fallen leader of Team STRQ standing before them like a shining white beacon in the darkness of the fel, the ground beneath her feet shattered, as if a meteor had landed upon it.

The woman who haunted the nightmares of both Ruby and Yang, yet also guided them towards the brightest of aspirations.

The spitting image of Ruby, only several years older, standing before a visibly shocked Cinder with a stalwart presence that would have garnered even the respect of Varian Wrynn himself.

Ruby let out a loud sob, tears falling freely down her cheeks.

The one who stood before her was her matriarch, her chain axes blade's angled into sickle blades, which glinted in the artificial illumination emanating from the Schnee mansion like the edged wings of a seraphic warrior.

Her mother.

Summer Rose.

* * *

 _"...And no matter what I do,_

 _Nothing ever takes the place of you..."_


End file.
